Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/316

, for I want to see whether or not you've got a good bargain."

Of course Joe had no objection. As soon as I was ready for business he passed me over to his uncle, and when I felt his strong fingers close around me, I knew that I was in the hands of one who would make me show off to the best possible advantage.

"There he is again! Give him the flies, quick!" cried Joe, suddenly.

Uncle Joe's movements were characterized by what sportsmen are wont to call "deliberate quickness". He was so very deliberate, in fact, that his nephew began to show unmistakable signs of impatience; but still he did not waste a single second of valuable time. Reeling off as much line as the close proximity of the bushes behind would permit him to use, Uncle Joe gave me a smart upward and backward fling and then struck down toward the water. This movement caused the line to fly through the air like a whip lash, only it grew in length all the while; and when the flies were directly over the swirl the trout had made when he went down, the motion of the reel was