have a bit of a blaze? I should like to come and help
to put it out."

"I think we ought to have got it out to play on poor old Boil O, for
he's been quite red-hot."

"Look here, young fellow, you're rather fond of those little games, as I
well know."

The boys both looked very guilty, and turned scarlet.

"You take a little bit of advice. Don't you try such a trick as that on
him. It wouldn't do."

CHAPTER TEN.

AMONG THE TROUT.

The next week passed, and the next, and more than one of the employes
said a word or two to Will about how strange it seemed without James
Drinkwater.

They were not alone, for Mr Willows made the same remark to his son.

"The place doesn't seem the same, Will, without James in his old place.
By the way, have you seen anything of him since?"

"Yes, father; Josh and I went up to take Mr Manners some flies, and
James was in the garden digging; but, as soon as he saw me, he slipped
away round by the back, and went off into the woods. Josh said that he
shied at me."

"But you, my boy? You didn't show any resentment for his behaviour to
you?"

"I? Oh, no: not I, father; I didn't mind. I knew he was in a temper.
I should have gone and shaken hands with him if he had stopped."

"Quite right, my boy. He'll be better soon, and come back, like the
true, honest fellow he is, and ask to be taken on."

"But what about his threats, father?"

"Pooh!" ejaculated Mr Willows. "Mr Manners was right."

One afternoon Josh came down as usual from the Vicarage, rod in hand.

"What about fishing, Will?" he said. "There's a lot of fly out on the
upper waters. Get your rod, and let's rout out old RA, and see if we
can't show him some better sport than we had the other evening."

"Ah, yes," said Will. "I believe he thought we took him where there
wasn't a fish, just to play him a trick."

"Yes, that comes of getting a bad character," said Josh. "He'll be
treating us like the shepherds did the boy in the fable who cried
`wolf!'"

"Oh, bother! There were plenty of fish up there, only they had been
having a good feed, and wouldn't rise."

The boy hurried off to where his long, limber, trout rod was resting on
three hooks, all ready with winch, taper line, and cast, under the eaves
of the mill-shed nearest to the water.

"What flies are you going to try?" said Josh.

"Oh, black gnats."

"No, I wouldn't," said Josh. "Red spinner is the one for to-night."

"Ah, to be sure!