Then he edged away, and stretching out his arm at full length,
pulled the trigger. The gun recoiled, but no apparent damage was
done.

For a few moments the water was turbid with the smoke, but when it
cleared, there, sure enough, were five or six of the very largest
trout floating, belly upward, against the ice. We had but to cut
through and take them out, but John was so slow with his axe that
two of the trout recovered and darted away.

We had four fine fish to show for the charge of powder, and
immediately searched for another pool. We soon came to one much
deeper and better stocked with trout, and Willis fired under the
ice again. Eight fish were secured here; and going on up the brook,
we found still another pool. This time Willis thrust the gun deeper
into the water, with the result that about a foot of the muzzle was
split open!

We had angry words about this accident, for Willis, much chapfallen
over the mishap, blamed me, and declared that I ought to buy him a
new gun. As I had but fifty cents in the world, there was no other
way for me but to scoff at Willis's claim. He then seized all the
trout. This did not altogether please John Eastman, and he and I
turned our backs on Willis, and hit upon a stratagem for capturing
trout on our own account. Knowing that it was the concussion of the
shot that stunned the trout, we went up to the old barn and
procured a long, sweeping board. Using this like a flail, we could
strike the ice a blow that made a noise well-nigh as loud as a gun.
When we gave just the right sort of blow, the trout below would
turn on their backs and float up to the ice. John and I soon