He cast a regretful glance at the fish as it gave its last victorious leap and vanished.

Then, standing on the gunwale and measuring his distance from the tree, he jumped.

For a moment Fisher minor thought he had missed; for the branch yielded and went under with his weight.

But in a moment, just as the boat with a swoop plunged over the fall, he rose, clutching securely and hauling himself inch by inch out of the torrent.

To Fisher, who watched breathlessly, it seemed as if every moment the branch would snap and send the senior back to his fate.