king the
pole behind as a fish does its tail.

"Oh! do get it this time, Dick!" panted Tom as he knelt in the boat.

"One quick dash, Mester Dick, and you hev it!"

Dick did not answer, but lay prone upon his chest well out over the
stern of the boat, holding on with one hand, the hook stretched out over
the water, ready, his heart beating and his eyes glittering with
excitement.

As the punt glided on Dick's face was reflected in the dark amber-tinted
water--for there was not a ripple made--but he saw nothing of the glassy
surface; his eyes were riveted upon the gleaming white bladder, into
which the string had cut so deeply.

Another moment or two and he would be within striking distance, but a
glance at his hook showed that, perhaps from looseness in its socket,
the point was turned too much away.

He had barely time to turn it, as the moment arrived to strike, and
strike he did, just as the bladder was plunging down.

A yell came from behind him from Dave!

A groan from Tom!

Dick rose up in the boat with a feeling of misery and disappointment,
such as he had never before experienced, for he was perfectly conscious
of what he had done. The bladder had been snatched under so quickly,
that when he struck, instead of the hook going beneath and catching the
string, the point had entered the bladder. He had even felt the check,
and knew that he had torn a hole in the side.

"Hey, but yow've done it now, Mester Dick!" said Dave, laying the pole
across the boat and sitting down.

"I couldn't help it, Dave. I did try so hard!" pleaded the lad.

"And you wouldn't let me try--obstinate!" grumbled Tom.

"Deal better you'd have done it, wouldn't you!" cried Dick in an
exasperated tone.

"Done it better than that!" cried Tom hotly.

"Nay, yow wouldn't, lad," said Dave coolly. "It's a girt big un, and
he's too sharp for us. Well, it's getting on and we may as well go
home. He's gone! Blether wean't come to the top no more!"

"But will he take a bait again, Dave?" said Dick; "I mean, if we come
another time."

"Will yow want any dinner to-morrow, lad?" said Dave, laughing. "Ay,
he'll tek a bait again, sure enough, and we'll hev him some day! Theer,
it's getting late; look at the starnels sattling down on the reeds!"

He pointed to the great clouds of birds curving round in the distance as
he stooped and picked up the pole, ready to send the punt homewards, for
the evening was closing in, and it woul