A BIG SAILFISH BREAKING WATER
“Not on your life!” was the prompt reply. “I want to begin on a little swordfish!... Why, that—that fish hasn’t waked up yet!”
And I was bound to confess there seemed to me to be a good deal of sense in what he said.
“Dan, I’ll take the rod—rest you a bit—so you can finish him,” I offered.
The half-hour Dan recorded as my further work on this fish will always be a dark and poignant blank in my fishing experience. When it was over twilight had come and the fish was rolling and circling perhaps fifty yards from the boat.
Here Dan took the rod again, and with the harness on and fresh gloves went at the fish in grim determination.
Suddenly the moon sailed out from behind a fog-bank and the sea was transformed. It was as beautiful as it was lucky for us.
By Herculean effort Dan brought the swordfish close. If any angler doubts the strength of a twenty-four thread line his experience is still young. That line was a rope, yet it sang like a banjo string.