I just recently read a marvelous Leslie Charteris 'Saint' story. Simon Templar comes up against a Russian spy in Canada. It starts with the Saint fly fishing on a lake in the Vancouver area. Simon approaches the Russian's cabin, and sees that a good looking woman, who turns out to be a Canadian Mountie, is handcuffed. Another bad-guy gets the drop on Templar, and he is also handcuffed to the same pole as the Mountie.
So guess how he worms his way out of being shot dead when it's time for the Russian to return to his submarine. He mocks the spy, tells him that no Russian could do anything an American could do. He uses his fly fishing as an example. He warrants that the Russian couldn't catch a fish with his gear in an hour or ever. So the Russian, steaming mad, leaves the cabin, and an hour later comes back even madder, he hadn't caught anything.
When it's time for him to leave, he uncuffs them and leads them to his boat. He conks the gal on the head and takes her unconscious to the boat, and as he's standing in the boat, with his gun pointed at Templar, instead of shooting him, he indicates that if Templar can catch a fish with the fly, he won't shoot him and will let him go. So of course guess what does Simon do? He hook the Russian in cheek and reels him in, and conks him on the head with an oar.
So guess how he worms his way out of being shot dead when it's time for the Russian to return to his submarine. He mocks the spy, tells him that no Russian could do anything an American could do. He uses his fly fishing as an example. He warrants that the Russian couldn't catch a fish with his gear in an hour or ever. So the Russian, steaming mad, leaves the cabin, and an hour later comes back even madder, he hadn't caught anything.
When it's time for him to leave, he uncuffs them and leads them to his boat. He conks the gal on the head and takes her unconscious to the boat, and as he's standing in the boat, with his gun pointed at Templar, instead of shooting him, he indicates that if Templar can catch a fish with the fly, he won't shoot him and will let him go. So of course guess what does Simon do? He hook the Russian in cheek and reels him in, and conks him on the head with an oar.
