134 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



them the sun was not very far over the horizon, and that at 

 midnight it would be but little darker than it was then. 



After they had had supper Frank said, 



" Do you remember those men whom we saw near Norwich, 

 who sat in small boats all the night long, and with a line in each 

 hand, bobbed for eels ? " 



" Yes ; what of them ? " 



" Why should we not bob for eels to-night ? I don't feel 

 inclined to go to bed." 



" Very well," said Jimmy ; " but can we get the worsted ?" 



" I will go and ask for some at the Hermitage." 



" What do you want worsted for?" said Dick. 



" To catch the eels with ; but wait a bit and you shall see. 

 Bring the lantern and come with me." 



Frank marched up to the house and knocked, and when the 

 door was opened by a woman, said, 



" Please can you let us have a hank of worsted ? I will give 

 you double its value." The woman looked at him in surprise, 

 and he repeated his question. Then she went indoors, and 

 reappeared with a hank of worsted in her hand. This she 

 threw out to them with a frightened look, and slammed the door 

 in their faces. 



"Wait, my good woman, we have not paid you," said Frank. 

 But there was no answer. 



** We seem to have frightened her," said Dick. 



Frank put a shilling under the door, and they went away 

 laughing heartily. Their next proceeding was to look about 

 the damp grass and pick up the lob-worms, which were about 

 in great numbers. When they had each collected a large 

 number they returned to the yacht, and by Frank's directions 

 threaded the worms on to the worsted, lengthways, with the 

 needle they had used for sniggling. In this way they made 

 three large bunches of worm-covered worsted. These bunches 

 they weighted with a stone, and tied strong lengths of cord to 

 them. 



" Now," said Frank, " we can begin to bob. This is the 

 way, Dick : let the bunch sink to the bottom and then keep 

 the line taut. Let it lie there for some time, and when you 

 feel some sharp quick tugs, it is the eels biting at it. Then 

 haul it quietly on board and shake the eels off. There, I can 

 feel them on my line now." 



