PREPARATIONS FOR CATCHING A PIKE. 235 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



Water-hen Swallowed by Pike. Casting Net. Trapping Water-hen for 

 Bait. A Monster Pike. 



FRANK and Jimmy were punting through one of the reedy 

 pools adjoining the broad, shooting wild-fowl, and had not 

 been very successful, so they were disposed to shoot coots and 

 water-hens, as well as ducks. They saw a water-hen swimming 

 across a small pool into which they had just pushed their way, 

 and Jimmy raised his gun to fire at it, but before he could pull 

 the trigger there was an immense splash and swirl in the water, 

 and the water hen disappeared down the jaws of an immense 

 pike. The boys stared in amazement. 



" That fellow must have been forty pounds in weight at the 

 least," said Frank, as soon as he had recovered himself. 



" Let us row home at once and get our tackle, and fish for 

 him." 



They rowed quickly back, and upon reaching the boat-house 

 they found that Dick was there, and had just put the finishing 

 touch to a casting net which they had been occupied in making 

 for some time. 



** Bravo ! that is capital ! " said Frank. " We can now catch 

 some bait with it." 



Before casting the net into the water they practised some time 

 with it, for it is very difficult to throw a casting-net properly. After 

 a little practice the boys were able to throw the net so that 

 it described something like a circle on the ground, and then 

 they took it to the shallow parts of the broad, and in a dozen 

 throws they obtained a quantity of small roach and bream, as 

 well as some large ones. Putting some of the roach into a 

 bait-can, they rowed to the pool where the big pike lay, and 

 first of all tried him with a live bait. But the float was undis- 

 turbed, save by the movements of the bait. Then they tried 

 trolling with a dead gorge-bait, then spinning, and then a 

 spoon, but with the like ill success. 



