150 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



He dressed rapidly and ran towards the water. Standing on 

 the margin was Jimmy, his hands in his pockets and a self- 

 satisfied smile on his face. 



" What have you been doing Jimmy ? " said Frank. 



" Oh ! I thought you would be astonished. I bought the 

 whole stock of one of those fellows who sell India-rubber 

 balloons, and I thought I would have a great haul of fish ; so I 

 fastened a line and hook to each balloon and set them floating 

 before the wind. Don't you think it a grand dodge ? " 



" Well, you are a funny fellow. I call it a poaching trick, of 

 which you ought to be ashamed, Master Jimmy but 1 suppose 



BREAM. 



you are not. I expect these balloons will burst directly a big fish 

 pulls them a little under the water. There goes one now ; I 

 saw it disappear, and there's another, with a pop you can 

 hear at this distance." 



Jimmy began to look rather blue, and said, " Hadn't we better 

 go off after them in a boat, or we shall lose all our lines? All 

 we had are fastened to them." 



" Oh, you sinner ! you don't mean to say that you have 

 used our joint-stock lines ? " 



" Yes, I have." 



" Then we had better go out at once." 



