musement, during which the poor fellow seemed to
forget all about his bad health, and became as interested as a boy with
our various bits of sport.

Now in a fast steamer there is not much done, for I suppose that quick
rush of the vessel, as it ploughs its way through the sea, startles the
fish away to right and left, and then when they might be swimming
quietly after the first rush, the tremendous beating up of the water by
the whirling screw sends them off again, and makes the water so foamy
that they cannot see a bait.

But with a sailing vessel it is different. When there is not much wind,
of course she glides along gently, leaving a wake of foam, but the water
is not so disturbed; and soon after the weather had settled down, and
was day by day growing warmer, so that the awning was rigged up over the
poop, and our fishing began.

"Oh yes," Captain Berriman said, "fish away, sir, and the more fresh
fish you catch for us, the better the passengers and crew will like it."

I was standing by one morning when this was said, and Miss Denning
glanced at me and smiled as if she knew what was coming.

"You will let young Dale help me?" said Mr Denning. "Want him?"

"Oh yes."

"Take him, then. He isn't much use," said the captain, laughingly. "I
often wonder why the owners have boys on board. Better have young
Walters, he's more of a sailor than this fellow."

"Oh no," said Mr Denning, "I should like Dale."

"All right," said the captain. "Don't tumble overboard, Dale."

"I'll try not, sir," I said, "but I can swim."

"So much the better, my lad, but it takes a long time to lower a boat
down, and a man overboard gets left a long way behind when a ship is in
full sail."

He walked away, and looking as eager as I did, Mr Denning began about a
fishing-line, while his sister looked bright and happy to see her
brother so much interested in the plans he had in view.

"I suppose there are plenty of fishing-lines on board," he said. "Let's
get right back beyond the man at the wheel, and fish from there."

"I'll go and see about the lines," I said; and I went forward to where
the boatswain was looking after some men who were bending on a new sail.

"Lines? Fishin'-lines, my lad?--no, I don't know of any."

Directly after I came upon Walters. "I say, do you know anything about
any fishing-lines?" I said.

"Of course I do," he replied in a contemptuous tone; "who doesn't?"

"But where do they keep them--