him over the side!"

"Ay, that's the way they gooes sometimes," said Dave, sending on the
boat. "Put the band in the basket, lads. Better luck next time."

"Why, the line's broken!" cried Dick, handing it to its owner.

"Sawed off agen his teeth," said Dave, after a glance. "Theer, put 'em
away, lad. He's theer waiting to be ketched again some day. Theer's
another yonder. Nay, he hesn't moved."

This one was taken up, and then others, till only two remained, one of
which was set where the great pike had been seen which took down the
duck. One had not been touched, but had had the bait seized and gnawed
into a miserable state; another bait was bitten right off cleanly close
to the head; while another had been taken off the hook; and one bait had
probably been swallowed, and the line bitten in two.

"We are having bad luck," cried Dick dolefully. "I thought we should
get a basket full."

"I didn't," said Dave. "Nivver did but once. Here, we'll tak' yon last
one up first, and come back along here and tak' up the big one, and go
thruff yon reed-bed home."

"Big one!" said Tom.

"You don't think he's on, do you?" cried Dick.

"Hey, lad, how do I know! Mebbe he is."

"Then let's go at once," cried Dick excitedly.

"Nay, nay, we'll try yon one first," said Dave, for both the remaining
trimmers were in sight, and though not where they had been laid down,
they seemed to be no farther off than a lively bait and the wind might
have taken them.

"Theer, lads, yow'll hev to be saddisfied wi' what yow've got. No more
to-day."

"Oh, very well!" said Dick; "but I wish we'd got something more to eat."

"There's one on," said Tom excitedly, as they neared the most remote of
the two trimmers.

"How do you know?"

"Saw it bob."

"Yah! It doan't move."

Dick glanced at Dave, whose face was inscrutable, and then the bladder
seemed to be motionless, and as if Tom's "bob" was all imagination.
Once more it seemed to move slightly, but it was nothing more than the
bait would cause.

"In wi' it, lads," cried Dave. "You, young Tom. I wean't stop. Ketch
it as we go by."

Tom reached over and thrust in the hook, just catching the line as the
trimmer seemed to be gliding away.

"Something on," he shouted, as he got hold of the line with his hands,
and threw down the hook into the boat. For there was a strong sturdy
strain upon the cord; and but for the progress of the boat being
checked, either the line w