SUMMER HOURS ON BREYDON 117 



matters little to those who row sturdily and well. The " lights 

 o' Yarmouth " burn clear and bright. 



We run our punt up close against the smelt-boat of 

 " Snicker " Larn, and enjoy a quiet little gossip between 

 strokes. " Snicker," as usual, " ain't done much." These sly 

 old water-dogs never do, no matter how good a haul they 

 may really have made. It is the amateur fisherman who 

 has done little who usually magnifies his catches. . . . 



We got to chatting over one thing and another, when 

 " Snicker " remarked : 



" Had I heard that Jary, the watcher, had had a tumble 

 overboard ? " 



" No ! how was that ? I hope he tumbled out again ! " 

 said I. 



" Oh, yes, 'bor ! we got him out at the bridge yonder. He 

 was lookin' at us smeltin' over there, up the Five-stake drain, 

 standin' up in his punt, the fule, and he bumps agin Stake 2, 

 takin' him sheer off his balance ; in course, over he goes. 

 Gord bless me ! my 'art cums up in my mouth, and we 

 hurries up to let go the draught-lines, and jumps in and 

 rows for him. 



" And he can't swim ! " I remarked. 



" No ! but he chucks hisself over somehow on his back, 

 and takes things remarkabill quiet, but he'd lost one of his 

 butes and his iley jumper afore we nabs hold of him and 

 pulls him in. I've seen a sight of axerdents on here. They 

 tell me you had a rum go the other night close to yer house- 

 boat ! " While saying this he smiles, and nudges " Short 'un." 



" Oh, yes ! " I replied, laughing, for an accident seems to 

 have a comic side, sometimes, when we come out of it all 

 right. " Oh, yes ; in a moment of forgetfulness I let my 

 sail get foul of a stake, and standing on the forepeak to 

 push it away to save splitting it, it gybed quicker than I 

 expected, and I had either to slip in or hang to the stake." 



" I've seed a monkey up a stick," said Larn, smiling. 



" It's well," I said, " I had a long painter trailing behind 

 the punt, which I nabbed at the psychological moment, and 

 hauled the punt back, and so saved a wade ashore." 



" That wor the minnet ! " he grinned, " and you and poor 

 old Blind Ben had a rum go there, agin that big chain cable 

 o' that Rushen ship agin Saul's timber yard." 



