COMEDY AND TRAGEDY 33 



the funny little minnow raked above his 

 head and started for the shore, did he feel 

 an irrepressible urge to follow it like a 

 cat that simply must chase the vanishing 

 ball. 



He made a quick strike; but as most of 

 his play practice had been with stationary 

 objects, he missed. But undismayed he 

 leaped clear of the water and rejoined his 

 comrades. 



Hump Back, so called because while the 

 backs of the others arched but slightly his 

 was pronouncedly convex, saw Leaper's 

 effort and himself resolved to try. 



On the next appearance of the object he 

 struck. His aim was true, but his subse- 

 quent actions were peculiar. Instead of 

 returning, he followed his strike to the shore 

 and disappeared. 



An interval of silence. Then a disap- 

 pointed voice on the shore which the fish 

 did not hear or hearing would not have 

 understood, spoke its irritation. 



"Darn! Undersize!" 



"Coin' to throw 'im back?" another voice 

 queried. 



"Yes. Not worth scalinV 



