210 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



which they got a considerable number by diverting the current 

 of a brook, and baling the water out of a pool in it. 



They had managed to obtain about a dozen large glass bottles 

 or jars. They filled these with water and put a number of 

 minnows in each, and then corked them up, making holes 

 through the corks to admit fresh water and air to the 

 prisoners. These bottles and jars were conveyed to a spot 

 where perch were in the habit of congregating, near an island 

 of reeds, where the water was about five feet deep, with a fine 

 gravelly bottom such as perch delight in. The large shoals of 

 perch which roamed about the broad were very often to be met 

 with here, and it was a favourite fishing place of the boys. 



One Friday night they took the yacht to this spot and moored 

 her there in a convenient position, sinking the bottles and 

 jars from six to twelve feet distance from her, so as just to be 

 within easy reach of their rods. Leaving the yacht there they 

 rowed back in the punt. The yacht was pleasanter to fish from 

 than a small boat, and they took her there overnight to avoid 

 making a disturbance in the morning. 



On the Saturday morning they rowed to the spot in the 

 punt, armed with their rods and bait-cans filled with minnows. 

 Getting quietly on board the yacht, so as to avoid any concussion 

 of the water, they peered into the clear depths. Two of the 

 jars were easily to be seen, and round each of them was a circle 

 of perch, or rather several circles, for next to the jar were some 

 very large ones with their noses placed against the glass. Behind 

 these large perch were others, in circles of gradually lessening 

 size, until they came to the very small ones, which were there, 

 not so much attracted by the minnows as hanging on of neces- 

 sity to the tails of their elders. 



The boys laughed quietly to each other at the success of 

 their experiment. They had certainly succeeded in drawing the 

 fish together. 



Dick was the first ready. He had baited his hook with a 

 live minnow, the hook being run through the skin of its back 

 near the back-fin. As the minnow sank through the water, and 

 before the float touched the surface, there was a general rush 

 of the perch up towards it. Dick pulled his bait out of the 

 way of some small ones which were rushing at it, and then the 

 largest of the shoal, a patriarch of about four pounds in weight, 

 came hurtling at it, dashing the others to right and left of him. 



