124 
All right,” said Bright; <‘‘ we'll 
meet you,” and as we went into the 
kitchen to get our scalded mussels for 
bait, we heard Herc muttering: 
‘“Pooty note, kain’t go fishin 
‘thought gettin’ cussed—de debil wid 
Hobson!” 
In half an hour we had all our traps 
in the boat, and, as the wind was light, 
concluded to row, and had pulled the 
boat up along the shore towards the 
Sand ditch, when we spied Here com- 
ing across a meadow. He had made a 
circuit of half a mile to avoid Hobson, 
who was out in a field where the men 
were threshing wheat. As _ Herc 
stepped into the boat we saw that he 
had something concealed 
shirt bosom, and Bright asked: 
ai What's that in your shirt, Here?” 
“MPortie, he replied. 
‘¢ What?” 
‘¢ Gin’] Washington.”’ 
Bright smiled, and Here drew from 
its hiding-place a quart flask, with the 
bust of Washington blown upon its 
side, which held a quart of ‘*‘ Hobson’s 
Bests: 
<“Viou ve. been 
rum,’’ said Bill. 
‘¢Bress de Lawd, I didn’t nuther; 
he owes me more’n dat fo’ overwork.” 
We had a few bottles of water in the 
boat, and at Herc’s request sampled 
the Gin’ral,” after which Herc took a 
drink, and then insisted on taking my 
place at the oars, which I willingly 
surrendered to him, and he made that 
heavy boat fairly skip over the water in 
the direction of the fishing grounds. 
‘Do you know how 'tis, Mr. Bright, 
dat dem genelmen ketches mo’ fishes 
dan you,’ said Herc: 
‘«T suppose they’re better fishermen,” 
replied Bill. 
‘‘No, sir; dey takes advantage o’ 
inside his 
stealing Hobson’s 
The American Angler 
you. Now I'll jest tell ye how ’tis. 
You sail de boat out to de fishin’ 
grouns, den you go forred to take in 
-ye’r sail an’ drap anchor, an’ ’fore your 
seat hes time to cool, a couple o’ dem 
fancy fishermen flops right down in de 
starn o’ de boat, heps darselves to de 
best bait, heaves dar line o’board, an’ 
de tide carries ‘em a little beyant de 
boat, an’ ‘fore you git time to baita 
hook dey begins to haul in de trouts. 
You've got to fish ober de side o’ de 
boat in de shadder, an’ fishes don’t bite 
so well as ef yer line wor trailin’ away 
wid de tide.” 
Bright looked at me, and with a 
knowing wink, said: ‘*‘ Herc’s right; 
you know yourself that fish bite better 
at a trail.’’ 
Herc kept up his fire of talk, giving 
us the advantage of his experience, 
and in due time we arrived at the fish- 
ing grounds. Bright, wishing to test 
Herc’s advice, kept his seat in the stern 
of the boat, and Herc attended to the 
anchor. 
‘*Now, Mr. Bright, tell me whar to 
drap dis mud-hook, an’ down she goes,” 
said he. 
Bright sounded the bottom, and at 
length ordered the anchor dropped, and 
when the boat swung around with the tide 
we threw ourlines overboard. Bright's 
sinker had scarcely touched bottom be- 
fore he hooked a 2 th trout, and hauled 
him into the boat. 
“Didn't I tole, ye. so?’ ‘said omg 
colored friend. ‘‘ Kain’t fool dis chile 
‘bout fishes; hain’t ben fishin’ in dis 
yere bay fur forty years ’thout larnin’ 
sumfin—ya, ya!” 
Bright caught several fine fish, and 
once in a while I hooked one, but Herc 
seemed to have poor luck; the fish 
didn’t trouble his bait much. Now and 
then he gave a tremendous jerk, which, 
