“You are a good swimmer, Joe—­be not alarmed, and you will not be hurt,” said Glenn, half inclined to laugh at his man’s indescribable contortions and grimaces, and apprehending no serious result.

“Ugh!” cried Joe, the water now up to his chin, and the next moment, when in the act of making a hasty and piteous entreaty, his head quickly dipped under the turbid surface and disappeared entirely.  Glenn now became alarmed; but, when in the act of divesting himself of his clothing for the purpose of plunging in to his rescue, Joe rose again some forty paces out in the current, and by the exertion of the arm that was free he was enabled to keep his head above the water.  The current was very strong, and the fish, in endeavouring; to run up the stream with his prize in tow, made but little headway, and a very few minutes sufficed to prove that it was altogether unequal to the attempt.  After having progressed about six rods, Joe’s head became quite stationary like a buoy, or a cork at anchor, and then, by degrees, was carried downward by the strong flow as the fish at length became quite exhausted.

“Now for it, Joe—­swim towards the shore with him!” cried Glenn.

“He’s almost got my shoulder out of place!” replied Joe, blowing a large quantity of water out of his mouth.

“I see his fin above the water,” said Glenn; “struggle manfully, Joe, and you will capture him yet!”

“I’ll die but I’ll have him now—­after such a ducking as this!” said Joe, approaching the shore with the almost inanimate fish, that was no longer able to contend against his superior strength.  When he drew near enough to touch the bottom, he turned his head and beheld his prize floating close behind, and obedient to his will.

It required the strength of both Glenn and Joe to drag the immense catfish (for such it proved to be) from its native element.  It was about the length and weight of Joe, and had a mouth of sufficient dimensions to have swallowed a man’s head.  It was given to the ferrymen, who had witnessed the immersion, and were attracted thither to render assistance.

“I suppose you have now had enough of the fish?” remarked Glenn, as they retraced their steps homeward.

“I’ll acknowledge that I’m satisfied for the present; but I was resolved to have satisfaction!” replied Joe.

“Yes, but you have had it with a vengeance; and I doubt not that your apparent contentment is but cold comfort,” continued Glenn.

“I’m not a bit cold—­I shan’t change my clothes, and I’m ready for any other sport you like,” said Joe.

“If you really suffer no inconvenience from the wet—­and this fine warm day inclines me to believe you—­we will take our guns and walk out to the small lakes on the borders of the prairie.”

“Splash it”—­began Joe.

“No—­duck it,” interrupted Glenn.

“Well, I should like to know exactly what you mean—­whether you are in earnest about going to the ponds, or whether you are joking me for getting ducked—­as there’s nothing in them now to shoot but ducks, and it may have popped into your head just because I had the ducking,” said Joe.