248 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



are, keep quiet an' don't move about, an' I'll show 

 ye somethin'." 



From his sacred hat he drew forth a line of the 

 finest water cord, with a stout gut perch-hook on 

 it; then he fixed on a blue float with white top, 

 pulled out a stick from the bushes near, where he 

 had hidden it on one of his former visits, tied the 

 line on, and said he should bait. From one of 

 the pockets of his old coachman's coat he next 

 fetched out a large worm -bag. 



"These ain't bramlin's, nor yet red uns; you 

 wants big uns here for 'em to see, for the water's 

 thick, an' they're hungry. These is dew - lobs ; 

 ain't they picturs ? I knows how deep to go 

 I don't need to plum it." 



He dropped his line in about a yard from the 

 swirl. Now the float was in it, the white top 

 showing out from the discoloured water; then it 

 was gone. Billy struck, and out he fetched a 

 bream that could not have weighed less than two 

 pounds. 



"Have somethin' better afore long," he muttered, 

 as he dropped the fish behind him. Down swings 

 the float, and it goes under with a rush. Billy 



