86 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



than me.' ' How so ? ' ' Thou's so mich wood about 

 tho.' ' Well, but,' said Jone, ' I think thou'U ston as 

 good a chance as me — if I have a wood leg.' ' How so V 

 ' Because thou'rt so well timber't at th' top end.' But 

 while they wur agate o' their fun, thi uncle Jonas felt a 

 great tug at his line. 'Hello!' cried he, 'what the devil's 

 this ? Come here, lads ! ' The boatman went and geet 

 howd o'th line. 'Ay,' said he, 'this is a conger; an' a 

 big un, too ! I hope it'll not break th' line ! By th' 

 mass, how it tugs ! Gently ! It's a big fish is this ! Let 

 him play a bit ! It's comin' ! Eh, what a mouth ! Ston 

 fur ! Here it is ! ' It wur a tremendous size ; an' as 

 soon as we'd getten it o'er th' edge o' th' boat it flew fro' 

 side to side, snappin' savagely first at one, then at another 

 on us. 'Look out!' cried one. ' Punce it!' cried another. 

 'It's a devil!' cried another. 'Mind; thou'll upset th' 

 boat! Heigh, Jone; it's comin' to thee! Look out!' 

 Jone took aim at it with his iron-shod wood leg; but he 

 missed th' fish, an' sent his wood leg slap through th' 

 bottom o' th' boat, reel up to th' knee. 'Theigher!' 

 cried thi uncle Jonas; 'thou's shapt that grandly, owd 

 lad ! ' ' Poo me up ! ' cried Jone ; ' Poo me up, some on 

 yo ; I'm fast ! ' ' Howd ; stop ! ' said thi uncle Jonas ; 

 ' thou munnot tak thi leg out ! We's be drown't ! ' 

 ' Drown't or not drown't,' cried Jone, ' I mun ha' my leg 

 out o' this hole ! ' ' Thou mun keep it where it is, I tell 

 tho, or else we's ha' th' boat full o' wayter in a minute.' 

 'An' how long am I to cruttle down here,' cried Jone, 

 wi' my leg i' this hole ? ' Then he gav a sudden jerk, an' 

 he skrike't out louder than ever, 'Oh, poo me up, this 



