Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           "Yes,"hecontinued,"itwursixteenyearago,comethethirdo’nextmonth,thatIlandedhim. Icaughthimjustbelowthebridgewithaminnow. Theytoldmehewurintheriver,andIsaidI’dhavehim,andsoIdid. Youdon’tseemanyfishthatsizeaboutherenow,I’mthinking. Good-night,gentlemen,good-night." 

           Andouthewent,andleftusalone. 

           Wecouldnottakeoureyesoffthefishafterthat. Itreallywasaremarkablyfinefish. Wewerestilllookingatit,whenthelocalcarrier,whohadjuststoppedattheinn,cametothedooroftheroomwithapotofbeerinhishand,andhealsolookedatthefish. 

           "Good-sizedtrout,that,"saidGeorge,turningroundtohim. 

           "Ah!youmaywellsaythat,sir,"repliedtheman;andthen,afterapullathisbeer,headded, "Maybeyouwasn’there,sir,whenthatfishwascaught?" 

           "No,"wetoldhim.Wewerestrangersintheneighbourhood. 

           "Ah!"saidthecarrier,"then,ofcourse,howshouldyou? ItwasnearlyfiveyearsagothatIcaughtthattrout." 

           "Oh!wasityouwhocaughtit,then?"saidI. 

           "Yes,sir,"repliedthegenialoldfellow. "Icaughthimjustbelowthelock—leastways,whatwasthelockthen—oneFridayafternoon;andtheremarkablethingaboutitisthatIcaughthimwithafly. I’dgoneoutpikefishing,blessyou,neverthinkingofatrout,andwhenIsawthatwhopperontheendofmyline,blestifitdidn’tquitetakemeaback. Well,yousee,heweighedtwenty-sixpound. Good-night,gentlemen,good-night."