CHAPTER TEN.
A TRIMMERING EXPEDITION.
A stormy time ensued, lasting about a fortnight, during which thedraining business was hindered; but, upon the whole, the progress madewas steady, for a number of men were now employed, and the fen people,who visited the outfall now and then, began to realise what kind of dykeit was that would run across the great swamp.
At last one evening, as the lads had wandered down to Hickathrift's, andwere talking to the great bluff wheelwright as he worked away with hisaxe at roughly shaping the shaft of a sledge, Dave came silently up,followed by the little decoy-dog; and the first knowledge of hispresence was given by an attack made upon Hickathrift's big lurcher,which, after showing its teeth angrily, settled down, and seemed to lookscornfully at the little animal, before closing its eyes as if to go tosleep.
"Hallo, Dave!" cried the lads together; "want us?"
"Nay, I don't want you, my lads."
"Well, then, we want you," cried Tom.
"Eh?"
"To take us out after the pike, as you promised."
"Nay, it would be too cold, and you wouldn't like it."
"How do you know, Dave?" cried Dick. "Come, when shall we start?"
"Well," said Dave, looking about him as if in search of a good piece ofwood which might prove useful, "I dunno. You lads do as you likes; butif I wanted to go, I sud say as the weather was nicely sattled, andstart to-morrow morning."
The hour was settled, as well as the weather, and after obtaining therequisite permission the lads were punctual to their time, and foundDave waiting in his punt, upon whose thwart he was seated gravely tyinga hook on to a stout piece of twisted horse-hair.
"Got everything ready, Dave?" cried Dick.
"Ay, lad; all ready."
"So are we. Look, Dave," cried Dick, swinging up the big basket hecarried, "pork-pie, bread and cheese, and a lump of bacon, and--"
Dave's face twitched as he listened, but he did not speak, only waited;till, after waiting awhile to whet the man's anxiety, Dick added:
"And a big bottle of beer."
"Oh, I don't want no beer!" grumbled Dave. "Watter's good enough forme."
"Let's leave it behind, Tom," said Dick archly. "It will only be heavyin the boat."
"Nay, put it in," said the man with a dry look. "Mebbe the fish wouldlike a drop. Mak' 'em bite."
The boys laughed, and stepped into the punt, which was soon gliding overthe dark waters that lay in pools and winding lane-like canals, Dave, inhis fox-skin cap, standing up in front and handling the pole, the boyscarefully examining the contents of the boat.
"What's in that bucket, Dave?"
"Never mind; you let it alone," said Dave gruffly; and Dick dropped thenet he was raising from the pail.
"Well, let's look at the basket, Dave."
"Nay; I wean't hev my hooks and lines tangled up just after I've laid'em ready. Yow two wait and see when we get acrost to wheer the pikelays."
"Oh, very well!" said Dick in a disappointed tone. "I would have shownyou what we've got in our basket."
"I know what you've got yow telled me," retorted Dave. "I don't want tolook at vittles; I want to taste 'em."
There was a pause, while Dave worked steadily away with his pole.
"I shall be glad when the summer comes again," said Tom.
"So shall I," cried Dick.
"Theer, I towd you so," cried Dave. "I knowed you'd find it ower cowd.Let's go back."
"Go on with you!" cried Dick; "who said it was cold? I want the summer,because of the sunshine, and the reeds and rushes turning green again,and the birds."
"There's plenty o' birds," said Dave.
"Yes, but I mean singing birds, and nesting, and flowers, and thewarmth."
"Theer, I towd you so. You are cowd," cried Dave.
"When I'm cold I'm going to use the pole," said Dick. "I say isn't itdeep here, Dave?"
"Ay, theer's some deep holes hereabouts," said the man, trying in vainto reach the bottom with his long pole. "They wean't dree-ern they in ahurry, Mester Dick."
"Good job too, Dave! We don't want our fishing spoiled. Now, then, howmuch further are you going?"
"Strite across to wheer we saw that big pike rise, my lad."
"Shall we catch him, Dave?"
"Mebbe yes; mebbe no, my lad. If he wants his dinner, and we sets itdown by his door stoop, he'll tek it. If he's hed his dinner he wean'ttouch it."
"Then let's make haste and get there before dinnertime," cried Tom."Pole away, Dave."
"Nay, we've got to go quiet-like, my lad. We don't want to scare thefish, and send 'em to the bottom to lie sulky. Nice wisp o' duck yon."
He nodded to a long string of wild-fowl flying low over themelancholy-looking water, and they were watched till they disappeared.
"Caught any more in the 'coy, Dave?" asked Dick.
"Few, lad, few. Not enew to tek' to market. Me and John Warren sent'em wi' the rabbits."
"Ah! he promised us a day with the ferrets. Let's stir him up, Tom.Now, Dave, do let's begin."
The man shook his head and smiled as if he were enjoying the tantalisingprocess he put the boys through, and kept on poling till they were quitea couple of miles from the Toft, when he suddenly laid down his longpole, and seated himself in the boat by the big basket.
"Now," he said, "if you want to see you shall see;" and he began to takeout carefully so many short fishing-lines, the hook in each case beingcarefully stuck in between the osiers so as not to catch. To every oneof these lines was attached a bladder, save and except four, which werebound to as many black and compressed pieces of cork, which looked as ifthey had been washed ashore after doing duty as buoys to somefishermen's nets.
"Theer we are: ten of 'em," said Dave smiling as if he were anticipatingthe pleasure he would feel in getting some monster tyrant pike upon thehook. "You, young Tom Tallington, pass me that theer boocket."
Tom lifted the bucket, which stood at the side, covered over with someold pieces of netting, and placed it between Dave's knees in the spotfrom which he removed the basket.
"Now you can both hev a look," he said with a sly glance from one to theother. "Hey, little boys, then; hey, little boys: back yow go!"
This was to a couple of frogs, which had been in the water the bucketcontained, but had climbed up the side, to try and get through themeshes of the net, but only to force their heads through and hold onwith their claws.
Dave poked one of the frogs with his finger, but the little reptileswelled itself out, and took hold more tightly of the net.
"Here, let go, will you!" cried Dick, taking the frog between hisfingers gently enough; but the little creature clung more tightly, andbegan to squeal loudly, till it was dislodged and dropped into the pail,the other being shaken free, and falling with a splash beside hisfellow, when there was a tremendous commotion in the pail; for, beside acouple more frogs, there were about a dozen small fishes scurrying aboutin the water.
"Theer," cried Dave, looking up; "what do you say to them for bait, eh?"
"Why, they're gudgeons, Dave!" cried Dick.
"Ay, lad, gudgeons."
"Where did you get them?" asked Tom. "There are no gudgeons in the fenwaters."
"Not as I iver see," said Dave with his quiet laugh. "I went rightacross to Ealand, and then walked four mile with my net and that boocketto Brader's Mill on little Norley stream and ketched 'em theer, andcarried 'em all the way back to the boat--four mile. For, I says, Ishould like they boys to ketch a big pike or two, and gudgeons is bestbaits I know."
"Better than roach and rudd, Dave?"
"Ay, or perch, or tench, or anything. Carp's a good bait; but you can'talways ketch carps."
"You are a good chap, Dave!" cried Tom.
"Ay, that I am, lads. I say, though, talk 'bout ketching; hev thesquire and Farmer Tallington ketched the chap as sat fire to Grimseystables?"
"Nobody set fire to Grimsey stables," said Tom. "It
was to the stacks."
"Nay, lad, I knows better than that," cried Dave, shaking his head."Why, didn't I see with my own eyes as roof weer all bont off the top o'stable, and doors gone."
"Yes; but the stable caught fire from the stacks," said Dick.
"Yah! how could it? Why, it's reight the other side o' the house."
"Well, couldn't the sparks and flames of fire float over and set lightto the thatch?" cried Dick.
"Set fire to the thack!" said Dave. "Ah, well, I warn't theer! But hevthey ketched him?"
"No, and not likely to. There, never mind Tallington's stacks; let'stry for the pike."
"Ay, lads, we will," said Dave, and, plunging his hand into the bucket,he took out a transparent gudgeon, whose soft backbone was faintlyvisible against the light; then carefully passing the hook through itstough upper lip, he dropped it over the side of the boat into the waterdirectly.
"Theer, lads," he said; "now over with that blether."
Dick seized the line, and as the gudgeon swam off he dropped the bladderover the side, and it was slowly towed away.
"I wish fishing wasn't so precious cruel," said Tom, as he watched thebladder dance upon the surface, while the punt was slowly thrust awayfrom the neighbourhood of the reed-bed, where the big pike was supposedto lie.
"'Tisn't cruel," said Dick.
"'Tis. How should you like to be that gudgeon with a hook in yourmouth, or the pike when he's caught?"
"Sarve him right for killing all the little fishes," growled Dave,punting gently along.
"Why did you come fishing?" said Dick sharply.
"'Cause I like it," said Tom frankly; "but it's cruel all the same. Oh,look! Look!"
They were about fifty yards from where the line with its buoy had beenput over the side, and as Tom had casually looked back he had seen thebladder give a bob, and then begin to skim along the surface.
"Well, I can see," said Dick, "it's the gudgeon swimming fast."
"Nay," said Dave, ceasing to pull; "something's got it. I shouldn'twonder if it's the big pike."
The lads breathlessly watched the bladder go skimming along. Every nowand then it gave a bob or two, and then on it went farther and fartherfrom them toward a patch of reeds all broken down and shattered by thewind and lying by itself quite a hundred yards from where the bait hadbeen dropped in.
"Is it the big pike, Dave?" said Dick eagerly.
"Dunno," was the laconic reply. "Mebbe 'tis, mebbe 'tisn't."
"You'll give it time, Dave," cried Tom excitedly, forgetting all hisprevious qualms.
"Ay, we'll give him time," said Dave with his face tightened so that theruddy portion of his lips had disappeared, and his mouth was representedby what seemed to be a scar extending right across the lower portion ofhis countenance. "Who's going to hook him out?"
"I will," cried Dick quickly. "No, you shall have first go, Tom."
"May I?" cried the lad, flushing.
"Yes; go on. Where's the big hook, Dave?"
"Why, s'pose I forgot it," said Dave slowly.
"You haven't," said Dick. "There's the stick," and he picked up a shortstaff.
"Ay, lad, bud there be no hook."
"Now, none of your old games, Dave," cried Dick; "just as if we didn'tknow! Come, out with it! You've got it in your pocket."
Dave chuckled, and produced a hook made by bending round a piece of thiniron rod and sharpening the point.
This hook he inserted in the staff and handed to Dick, who immediatelypassed it to Tom, the latter standing up ready to hook the line when thetime should come.
But that was not yet, for the floating bladder was more than a hundredyards away, and still skimming along.
"Be a long time making up his mind to swallow it," said Dave, slowly andsoftly reducing the distance between them and the buoy, and then pausingwhile they were still fifty yards away.
"He has stopped now," said Dick in a hoarse whisper as the bladdergleamed quite white a few yards away from the reeds, and gently rose andfell in the ripple caused by the wind.
"Why, he's gone!" said Tom in a disappointed tone.
_Bob_ went the bladder as if to contradict him, giving one sharpmovement, and then remaining still once more.
"Nay, he hasn't gone," said Dave. "Give him a bit more time. We'll setanother while we're waiting."
As he spoke he laid the pole across the head of the punt, and quicklybaiting another of his hooks, dropped it over the boat side away fromthe direction in which they had to go; and after checking it once ortwice till the bait took the right course, he let it go.
Meanwhile, the lads were impatiently watching the bladder, which nowremained perfectly still; and in imagination they saw a monstrous pikeswallowing the unfortunate gudgeon which bore the hook.
"Theer!" said Dave, rising and taking up his pole. "He've hed plentytime now. Get the basket ready, young squire Dick. Think it'll holdhim?"
"If it won't we'll curl him round, Dave," said the lad, laughing. "NowTom, don't miss."
The boat approached slowly, and Tom was awkwardly placed; but Dave wasprepared for this, and after giving the little vessel a sharp impulse hethrust down the pole to the bottom, and checked the head, so that thestern swung round and gave Tom a fair chance, which he stood ready toseize as the boat drew nearer.
They were soon only about ten yards away, and the bladder remained somotionless that the lads' hearts sank with disappointment, for it seemedas if the bait had been left.
"Look out, lad!" said Dave, however, for his quick eyes had detectedwhat was about to happen, and he gave the boat a tremendous thrust justas the bladder glided rapidly away.
Tom bent down and made a dart with his hook, and so earnestly that hewould have gone overboard had not Dick caught him in the nick of time.
"Missed him," he cried.
"Here, this awayer," cried Dave. "You was a chap!" and he held up hispole with the line over it. For when Tom missed, his opportunity came,the boat gliding so near that he dropped the pole down over the line,and a tremendous disturbance of the water began.
Tom rushed forward, leaned over the side, and deftly hooked the linewhich ran through to the bladder as Dave drew away his pole.
"It's a monster! Oh Dick!" cried Tom, as he drew the bladder in. "Now,then, catch hold of the line as I draw it in."
"Yah! Why yow make as much on it as if it weer one o' they longstudggins, or a big porpus pig," growled Dave, laughing, as Dick securedthe line. "Haul him in."
"I say! 'Tisn't a very big one, Tom; but he's strong," said Dick,pulling the captive to the side, for his companion to gaff and lift intothe boat. "Why, it's a perch!"
A perch it was--a fine one with ruddy fins and boldly-barred sides, and,though fine for his kind, less than three pounds in weight.
"I thowt that was what he was," said Dave, laughing, "when I sin himskim that theer blether along. Pop him in the basket, lads, and let'sget all the rest of the liggers out, or we shall make a poor time ofit."
He plied the pole vigorously and soon stopped to let the boat glidetowards an opening in the reeds, where a long water-way ran in. Hereanother buoyed bait was left, and then they went on to lay another andanother, the old decoy-man, with the knowledge bought by very longexperience, selecting choice spots till the whole set were disposed ofin the course of an hour, over a space far exceeding a mile.
"We shall never recollect where they were all set, Dave," said Dick atlast, as he stood up looking back along the side of one of the big poolsto which they had made their way through what resembled a little riverrunning among the reeds and joining two great pools together.
"You wouldn't," grumbled the man; "but p'raps I may. Now let's goreight back, and see if theer's any on, or--don't you think, lads, it's'bout time to try and ketch me?"
Dick stared.
"He means he wants you to try if he'd take a corner of the pie, Dick, ifyou offered it to him as a bait," cried Tom laughing, while Dave'syellow visage deve
loped into something like a grin.
"Ay, that's it, lad--I feel as if I could coot a loaf in two, and eathalf wi'out winking. Nay, wait and I'll throost the boat up to yontrees. Hey, look at that!"
He shaded his eyes, and gazed at a large flock of birds flying asclosely together, apparently, as starlings, and hundreds upon hundredsin number. They were flying swiftly at a good height, when all at once,as if by a signal, they changed their direction, and, with the accuracyof drilling, darted down in a great bird stream straight for the earth,disappearing behind a low patch of willows.
"Golden plovers!" cried Dick, excitedly. "Oh, Dave, if you were therewith a gun!"
"Ay, lad, and I'm here wi' a pole," said Dave. "Niver mind, I may get afew perhaps wi' my net. Now, then, never mind the pie-wipes; let's wipethat theer pie."
He rapidly thrust the boat along till it was close to the side of themere, where he anchored it with his pole and then leaned over and washedhis hands, which he dried upon a piece of rag.
"Are your hands fishy, Tom?" said Dick.
"No--I washed them."
"Well, then, cut some bread."
The next minute the pie was falling to pieces, the bread undergoing achange, and the ale sinking rapidly in the stone bottle. After whichthe basket was found to contain a certain number of apples, which wereconverted into support for the active human beings in the boat, with theresult that the basket was tapped upside down on the edge to get rid ofa few crumbs before the empty pie-dish and stone bottle were replaced,and the whole tucked away so as to leave all clear.
"Now, lads, I think we ought to do some wuck," cried Dave, seizing thepole. "I thought so," he added; "I knowed there'd be something here."
"Eh!" cried Tom.
"Don't you see?" said Dick. "There, that bladder's fifty yards fromwhere it was laid down."
"Hundered," said Dave, plying his pole. "'Fraid it's another peerch."
Dave was wrong, for as they approached the bladder it went off with aswift dart, and there was a swirl in the water which indicated that abig fish must be on.
A good ten minutes' chase ensued before Dick was able to hook the line.
"I've got him," he cried: "a monster!"
It certainly was a large pike of probably ten or twelve pounds, but inspite of its struggles it was drawn close in, with Dave smiling tightlythe while, and ending with a broad grin, for as, in the midst of theintense excitement connected with their capture, Tom took the line andDick leaned forward to gaff the pike, there was a struggle, a splash,the fish leaped right out of the water, and was gone.
"Hey, but why didn't thou whip the hook into him?" cried Dave.
"I was trying to," said Dick ruefully; "but just as I touched his sidehe wagged his tail and went off!"
"Niver mind, lad," cried Dave. "Let's look at the line. Ah, I thowt asmuch! Hook's broke."
"Any chance of catching him if we threw in again?" said Tom.
"Nay, he isn't worth trying for. Mebbe he'd bite; mebbe he wouldn't.He's gone the gainest [nearest] way to his hole. Let's try the next."
The buoy attached to this was not in the place where it had been left,and for a few minutes the lads looked round in a puzzled way, till, witha grim smile, Dave thrust the boat close up to a reed patch, when, justas the punt began to rustle against the long crisp water-grass, asplashing was heard inside somewhere, and after parting the growth withhis pole Dave stood aside for his companions to see that the bladderattached to the line had been drawn in for some little distance, andthen caught in the midst of a dense tangle, beyond which a good-sizedfish was tugging to get away.
It needed some effort to force the boat to where the fish was churningup the water; but at last this was effected, and this time, by leaningforward and holding Tom's hand as a stay, Dick managed to gaff thecaptive and lift it into the boat.
"A beauty!" said Tom, as they gazed at the bronze, green-spotted sidesof the ferocious fish, whose fang-armed jaws closed with a snap upon thehandle of the gaff, from which a strong shake was needed to detach it.
"Yes, but not a quarter as big as the one which got away."
"Nay," growled Dave, "there weren't much differ, lads."
Whatever its size, the pike, a fish of several pounds weight, was placedalongside of the perch, upon which, by hazard or natural ferocity, it atonce fastened its peculiarly hooked back-teeth, making it almostimpossible to loosen its hold when once its jaws were closed; but thediscussion which followed upon this was interrupted by the sight of thenext bladder sailing away into the broadest part of the pool which theynow entered.
"There's a big one howd o' that bait, my lads," said Dave, "and he'llgive us a race. Shall we leave him?"
"Leave him! no," cried the lads together.
"Ah, you heven't got to pole!" said Dave thoughtfully, as he gazed atthe bladder skimming along a couple of hundred yards away.
"Then let me do the poling," cried Dick eagerly, "I'm not tired."
"Nay," said Dave quietly, "neither you nor me can't do no poling theer.Watter's nigh upon twenty foot deep, and a soft bottom. Pole's no usetheer."
"What shall we do then?"
"I weer thinking, lad," said Dave, following the direction taken by thebladder. "He's a makkin for yon way through the reeds into next pool."
"Then let's go there and stop him, Dave," cried Dick.
"Ay, lad, we will. Round here by the side. Longest way's sometimesgainest way."
Dick looked blank upon seeing the boat's head turned right away from thefish that was caught. Dave saw it, and handed him the pole.
"Give her a few throosts, lad," he said.
Dick seized the pole and thrust it down into the water lower and lowertill his hands touched the surface.
He tried again and again, but there was no bottom within reach, and thelad handed back the pole.
"Why, you knew it was too deep here!" he cried.
"Ay, I knowed, lad," said Dave, taking the pole; "but yow wouldn't hevbeen saddisfied wi'out trying yoursen."
He proceeded to row the punt now for a few yards, till, apparentlyknowing by experience where he could find bottom, he thrust down thepole again, gave a few vigorous pushes, and was soon in shallow water.
It was a bit of a race for the river-like opening, but Dave sent thepunt along pretty merrily now, while the bladder came slowly along fromthe other direction till it was only about fifty yards away, when therewas a series of bobs and then one big one, the bladder which gleamedwhitely on the grey water going down out of sight.
Dave ceased poling, and all watched the surface for the return of thebladder, as whale-fishers wait for the rising of the great mammal thathas thrown his flukes upward and dived down toward the bottom of thesea; but they watched in vain.
A minute, two minutes, five minutes, then quite a quarter of an hour,but no sign of the submerged buoy.
"Yow two look over the sides," said Dave. "I'll run her right overwhere the blether was took down."
Dave sent the punt along slowly, and the lads peered down into the darkwater, but could see no bladder.
"She'll come up somewheers," said Dave at last, sweeping the surfacewith his keen eyes, and then smiling in his hard, dry, uncomfortableway, as he looked right back over the way by which they had come, andnodding his head, "There she is!" he said.
Sure enough there lay the bladder on the surface forty yards behind themperfectly motionless.
"Yow take howd o' this one, young Tom Tallington," said Dave; and thelad prepared to hook the line as the punt was carefully urged forward.
"Take care, Tom!" whispered Dick excitedly. "Now, now! Oh, what afellow you are!"
Tom did not dash in the hook when his companion bade him, but all thesame he managed to do it at the right time, catching the line just belowthe bladder, and then stooping to seize it with his hand ready for thestruggle which was to ensue.
Both boys were flushed with excitement, and paid no heed to the grimsmile upon their companion's face--a smil
e which expanded into a grin asthe line came in without the slightest resistance, and the lads lookedat each other with blank dismay.
"Clap the line in the basket, Mester Dick," said Dave; "he's took thebait and gone."
"Why, what a big one he must have been!" cried Tom.
"Ah, he would be a big one!" said Dave with a chuckle, as he urged thepunt rapidly on; "them as gets away mostlings is."
"Didn't you feel him a bit, Tom?" asked Dick.
"No, he had gone before I touched the line," was the reply.
It was very disappointing; but there were the other trimmers to beexamined, and though it would have puzzled a stranger, Dave went backwith unerring accuracy to the next one that had been laid down.
This did not seem to have moved; and as it was drawn in, the bait wasswimming strongly and well.
"Let him go, Dick," said Tom.
"Well, I was going to, wasn't I?" was the reply. "There you are, oldchap, only got a hole in your gristly lip."
He dropped the gudgeon into the water, and it lay motionless for amoment or two, and then darted downward as the punt glided on.
Another trimmer, and another, and another, was taken up as it wasreached, all these with the baits untouched, and the disappointed lookgrew upon the boys' faces.
"I thought we should get one on every hook," said Tom. "Ar'n't we goingto catch any more?"
"Why, you've got two," said Dave.
"Well, what are two, Dave?" cried Dick.
"More'n I've got many a day," said the man. "I often think I'd like apike to stuff and bake; but lots o' times I come and I never get one.There's one for you yonder."
"Is there--where?" cried Tom.
Dave nodded in the direction of the little bay they were approaching,and it was plain to see that the bladder had been drawn close in to theboggy shore.
"Oh, he's gone!" cried Tom. "I don't believe there's one on."
Tom was wrong, for upon the spot being reached the bladder suddenlybecame, as it were, animated, and went sailing along bobbing about onthe surface, then plunging down out of sight, to come up yards away.
"There's a niste one on theer, lads," said Dave. "Yow be ready with thehook, Mester Dick, and yow kneel down ready to ketch the line, young TomTallington."
It was quite a long chase; the bladder bobbing and dancing away tillDave forced the punt pretty near, and by a back stroke Dick caught theline, drew it near enough for Tom to seize, when there was a tremendoussplash and plunge, and Tom fell backwards.
"Gone!" cried Dick in a passion of angry disappointment.
"Gone!" said Tom dolefully, "and I'd nearly got him over the side!"
"Ay, that's the way they gooes sometimes," said Dave, sending on theboat. "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 'emaway, lad. He's theer waiting to be ketched again some day. Theer'sanother yonder. Nay, he hesn't moved."
This one was taken up, and then others, till only two remained, one ofwhich was set where the great pike had been seen which took down theduck. One had not been touched, but had had the bait seized and gnawedinto a miserable state; another bait was bitten right off cleanly closeto the head; while another had been taken off the hook; and one bait hadprobably been swallowed, and the line bitten in two.
"We are having bad luck," cried Dick dolefully. "I thought we shouldget a basket full."
"I didn't," said Dave. "Nivver did but once. Here, we'll tak' yon lastone up first, and come back along here and tak' up the big one, and gothruff 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 remainingtrimmers 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 mighthave taken them.
"Theer, lads, yow'll hev to be saddisfied wi' what yow've got. No moreto-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 ofthe 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 bladderseemed 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 thebait would cause.
"In wi' it, lads," cried Dave. "You, young Tom. I wean't stop. Ketchit as we go by."
Tom reached over and thrust in the hook, just catching the line as thetrimmer 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 sturdystrain upon the cord; and but for the progress of the boat beingchecked, either the line would have been broken, or Tom would have hadto let go.
"Why, you've got hold of a stump!" cried Dick. "What shall we do,Dave--cat the line?"
"Howd on, lads, steady! Ah, that's moved him!"
For just then, in place of the steady strain, there were a series ofshort sharp snatches.
"Eel, eel!" cried Dick; and at the end of a few minutes' exciting play,a huge eel was drawn over the side of the boat, tied up in quite a knot,into which it had thrown itself just at the last.
"Coot the band close to his neb," [mouth or beak] said Dave, and thisbeing done, and the line saved from tangling, the captive untwisteditself, and began to explore the bottom of the boat, a fine thick fellownearly thirty inches long, and the possibility was that it might escapeover the stern, till Dave put a stop to the prospect by catching itquickly, and before it could glide out of his hand, throwing it into thebasket, where the pike resented its coming by an angry flapping of thetail.
"That's better," said Dick, placing the trimmer in the other basket. "Isay, Dave, would a fellow like that bite?"
"Nigh tak' your finger off: they're as strong as strong. Say, lads,shall we go home now, or try the other ligger?"
"Oh, let's get the last!" cried Dick; "there may be something on it."
Dave nodded, and poled steadily over to where the last trimmer lay offthe reedy point, and perfectly motionless, till they were within tenyards, when there was a heavy swirl on the water, and the bladder divedunder, reappeared a couple of dozen yards away, and went off rapidlyalong beside the reed-bed.
"Is that another perch?" cried Tom, as Dave began to ply his polerapidly, and the boat was urged on in pursuit.
"Nay, that's no perch," cried Dave, who for the first time lookedinterested. "It's a pike, and a good one."
"Think it's that monster that took down the duck?" cried Dick.
"Nay, lad, I d'know," said the decoy-man; "all I say is that it be agirt lungeing pike o' some kind."
Dave plied his pole, and the boys, in their excitement, turned each ahand into an oar, and swept it through the water as the pursuit was keptup, for the bladder went sailing away, then stopped, and as soon as thepunt drew near was off again. Sometimes it kept to the surface, but nowand then, when in places where Dave's pole would not touch the bottom,no sooner did the punt glide up, than there was an eddying swirl, andthe bladder was taken down out of sight.
Once or twice Dick made a dash at it with the hook, but each time tomiss, and they were led a pretty dance.
"He's a girt big un, lads, a very girt big un," said Dave, as he restedfor a moment or two with the end of the pole in the water, waiting forthe bladder to reappear, and then rowed the punt softly in the directionin which it was gliding. "Says, shall a give 'em up?"
"No, no," cried Dick. "Here, lend me the pole. I'll soon catch him."
Dave smiled, but did not give up the
pole.
"Nay, lad, I'll ketch up to un. Wait a bit; fish'll be tired 'fore DaveGittans."
The pursuit continued in the most exasperating way, and to an onlookerit would have been exceedingly absurd, since it seemed as if the man andhis companions were off oh the great mere with its open spaces of waterand islands of reeds, and lanes through them like so many little crookedcanals, in pursuit of a white pig's-bladder tied round the middle tomake it double. There it would lie till the boat neared, and then offit went with a skim that took it twenty, thirty, or forty yards. Nexttime the boat neared, instead of the skim it would begin to dance as ifin mockery, bobbing down whenever Dick reached over with his hook, andalways keeping out of his reach, just as if a mocking spirit directedall its movements and delighted in tantalising them. Again, after along run over the deep water, it would be quite still, and the puntwould be sent forward so cautiously that the capture seemed to be amoral certainty; but so sure as Dick crept to the extreme end of thepunt and reached out, there was a tremor for an instant visible on thewater and the bladder disappeared.
"He must be a monster!" cried Dick, whose face was scarlet. "Oh, Dave,do go more quietly this time!"
"Let me try!" cried Tom, making a snatch at the hook.
"No! I'll have him," said Dick. "I wouldn't miss this chance for theworld!"
"Ay, I'll goo up quiet-like," said Dave, pausing to give himself anopium pill before resuming his task. "Yow be quicker this time, lad--abold dash and you'll get him!"
The double-looking bladder seemed now to be quite divided in two, forthe string had grown tighter in being drawn through the water, and as itlay quite still, about forty yards from them, it looked a task that achild might have done, to go up to it softly and hook the string.
"Now!" said Dave as he propelled the boat stern foremost by working thepole 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 thestern of the boat, holding on with one hand, the hook stretched out overthe water, ready, his heart beating and his eyes glittering withexcitement.
As the punt glided on Dick's face was reflected in the dark amber-tintedwater--for there was not a ripple made--but he saw nothing of the glassysurface; his eyes were riveted upon the gleaming white bladder, intowhich the string had cut so deeply.
Another moment or two and he would be within striking distance, but aglance 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, andstrike 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 consciousof what he had done. The bladder had been snatched under so quickly,that when he struck, instead of the hook going beneath and catching thestring, 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 poleacross 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 anexasperated tone.
"Done it better than that!" cried Tom hotly.
"Nay, yow wouldn't, lad," said Dave coolly. "It's a girt big un, andhe's too sharp for us. Well, it's getting on and we may as well gohome. 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 comeanother 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 ashe stooped and picked up the pole, ready to send the punt homewards, forthe evening was closing in, and it would be dark before they reached theshore.
"What's that?" cried Tom suddenly, as he swept the surface of the water,and he pointed to a faint white speck about twenty yards away.
"Hey? Why, it is!" cried Dave. "Tek the hook again, Mester Dick, lad;there's a little wind left yet in th' blether, and it's coom oop!"
"Let me!" cried Tom.
"Shall I do it, lad?" said Dave.
"No, let me try this once!" cried Dick. "Or, no; you try, Tom!"
Tom snatched at the staff of the hook, but offered it back to hiscompanion.
"No, Dick," he said; "you missed, and you've a right to try again!"
"No, you try!" said Dick hurriedly, as he thrust his hands in hispockets to be out of temptation.
"Nay, let Mester Dick hev one more try!" cried Dave; and the lad tookthe staff, went through all his former manoeuvres, struck more deeplywith the staff, and this time, as he felt a check, he twisted the hookround and round in the string, and felt as if it would be jerked out ofhis hand.
"Twist un again, mun! Get well twissen!" cried Dave; and as the ladobeyed, the punt, already in motion, was for a short distance literallydrawn by the strong fish in its desperate efforts to escape.
"Let me come this time, young Tom Tallington!" cried Dave.
"No, no; I'll help!" cried Tom.
"But I shouldn't like you to lose this un, lads. Theer, go on andcharnsh it. You get well howd o' the band while young squire untwissesthe hook. He's 'bout bet out now and wean't mak' much of a fight!"
Tom obeyed, and Dick, who was trembling with excitement, set the hook atliberty.
Meanwhile the fish was struggling furiously at the end of some fifteenfeet of stout line; but the fight had been going on some time now, andat the end of a few minutes, as Dave manoeuvred the punt so as to easethe strain on the line, Tom found that he could draw the captive slowlyto the surface.
"Tak' care, Mester Dick, throost hook reight in his gills, and in wi' unat onced."
Dick did not reply, but stood ready, and it was well that he did so, foras Tom drew the fish right up, such a savage, great, teeth-armed pair ofjaws came gaping at him out of the water, that he started and stumbledback, dragging the hook from its hold.
But before he could utter a cry of dismay there was a tremendous sputterand splash, for Dick had been in time, and, as the fish-hook wasbreaking out, had securely caught the pike with the gaff.
The next moment, all ablaze in the evening light with green, and gold,and silver, and cream, the monster was flopping on the floor of thepunt, trying frantically to leap out, and snapping with its jaws in away that would have been decidedly unpleasant for any hand that wasnear.
The monster's career was at an end, though. A heavy blow on the headstunned it, and a couple more put it beyond feeling, while the occupantsof the boat stood gazing down at their prize, as grand a pike as isoften seen, for it was nearly four feet long, and well-fed and thick.
"Look at his teeth!" cried Tom excitedly; "why, there's great fangs fullhalf an inch long."
"Yes, and sharp as knives!" cried Dick.
"Ay, he've hed nice games in his time here, lads!" said Dave, grinningwith pleasure. "I'm straange and glad you've caught him. Many's thetime I've sin him chase the fish and tak' down the water-rats. One dayhe hed howd of a big duck. He got it by its legs as I was going along,and the poor thing quacked and tried to fly, but down it went d'reckly.Big pike like this un'll yeat owt."
"And if he got hold of them with these hooked teeth, Dave, they wouldn'tget away."
"Nay, lad, that they wouldn't. He'd take a pike half as big as hissen,if he got the charnsh."
"Well, he won't kill any more," cried Dick triumphantly. "Oh, Tom, ifwe had lost hi
m after all!"
"I'd reyther hev lost a whole tak' o' duck, lads," said Dave, shakingeach of his companions' hands warmly. "There'll be straange games amongall the fishes and birds here, because he's ketched. Look at him!Theer's a pike, and they're a trying to dree-ern all the watter off fromthe fens and turn 'em into fields. Hey, lads, it'll be a straange badtime for us when it's done."
"But do you think it will take off all the water, and spoil the fen,Dave?" said Tom.
"Nay, lad, I don't," said Dave with sudden emphasis. "It's agen nature,and it wean't be done. Hey and we must be getting back."
He plunged the pole into the water as he spoke, and it seemed to growblacker and blacker, as they talked pike over their capture, till theshore was reached, and the prize borne to Hickathrift's workshop, wherea pair of big rough scales showed that within a few ounces the pikeweighed just what Dave guessed, to wit two stone and a half oldLincolnshire weight of fourteen pounds to the stone, or thirty-fivepounds.