238 , THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



Frank did so, and said, 



" She must be clinging to the bottom. I cannot move her/' 

 and he pulled a little harder. 



" I say," he cried, " I felt such a sharp tug. I do believe the 

 big pike has got hold of her." 



" Nonsense ! " said the others. 



" But it isn't nonsense," said Frank, and he held the rod bent 

 so that they could see the top twitching violently. 



" It is the pike ! " Frank exclaimed excitedly, and he imme- 

 diately let the line run loose, so that the pike might have room 

 to gorge his prey. 



" He must have seized the water-hen as she dived," said 

 Dick. 



" Yes, and won't we give him plenty of time to gorge. I don't 

 want to miss him now we have got such a chance," said Frank. 



And in spite of their impatience they gave the pike half-an- 

 hour to swallow the bird, and then, at the end of that time, 

 there were sundry twitchings of the point of the rod, and the 

 line was taken out by jerks of a foqt or two at a time. 



" He is moving about," said Jimmy. " It is time to strike." 



Frank raised his rod amid a hush of expectation. As the 

 line tightened he struck lightly, and immediately the rod bent 

 double with a mighty rush from the pike as he went straight 

 across the little pool, which was about thirty yards in diameter. 

 After this first rush the pike began to swim slowly about, 

 keeping deep down and never showing himself. Round and 

 round and across the pool he swam, now resting for a few 

 minutes like a log, and from a twitching of the line apparently 

 giving angry shakes of his head. Frank kept a steady, even 

 strain upon him, and as the space was so circumscribed there 

 was no danger of a breakage by any sudden rush. 



This sort of thing went on for half-an-hour, the line slowly 

 cutting through the still, dark water ; and Jimmy and Dick 

 urged Frank to pull harder, and make the fish show himself. 

 But Frank was too wise to give way, and he still kept on in 

 a steady, cautious fashion. 



" If we go on much longer we shall be late for Mr. Mere- 

 dith," said Dick. 



" Never mind," replied Frank, " he will forgive us on such 

 an occasion as this." 



" Here he comes," shouted Frank, as he wound in his line. 



