A MONSTER PIKE. , 239 



The pike came rolling up to the surface a few yards from the 

 boat, and they caught sight of him. His proportions were 

 gigantic, and his fierce eyes glared savagely at them. He gave 

 a flounder on the top of the water, then sank down again 

 into the depths. 



' What a monster ! " 



In a few minutes the pike came up again, and this time 

 more on his side, and plainly much exhausted. Three times 

 more did he thus rise and sink again, and each time he 

 seemed more helpless. The fourth time he remained on the 

 surface lying on his side. Dick got hold of the gaff and 

 held it in the water with outstretched arm, while Frank slowly 

 drew the conquered giant towards it. Dick put the gaff 

 under him and sharply drove it into his side, and then Jimmy 

 and he uniting their forces, hauled the pike into the punt, 

 almost upsetting it in their eagerness, and then threw them- 

 selves on the fish to prevent it flopping out again. 



They rowed home in great triumph, and on weighing the 

 pike it was found to be 34^ Ibs. in weight, and the largest 

 which had been caught in Hickling Broad for many years. 

 The time it took to land it from the time it was struck was 

 fifty-five minutes. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



Fishing on Stilts. A Capsize. Wild -fowl-Shooting. A Flare-up. 



DECEMBER was ushered in with a week of storm and wet, 

 and as the boys were shut out from outdoor pursuits they 

 had more leisure for indoor studies ; and one day a bright 

 idea occurred to Jimmy, by the carrying out of which he 

 said he could fish the broad without the trouble of rowing 

 a boat. So on a Saturday afternoon, when the clouds had 

 broken, and the rain ceased, and the still water reflected the 

 pale blue of the December sky, Frank and Dick sat at the 

 boat-house window watching Jimmy put his plan into execution. 

 He had turned a couple of leaping-poles into stilts. His 

 feet rested upon foot-rests, but were not fastened to them, 



