20 The Amateur Poacher 



it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught 

 the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a 

 nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead ; 

 you must have it barbed, and that was a little 

 beyond our skill. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us 

 a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek 

 warrior ; and a rake-handle served as a shaft. It was 

 really a dangerous weapon. He had also made us 

 a small anchor according to plan ; nor did he dip too 

 deeply into our pocket-money. 



Then the mast and square-sail, fitted out of a 

 window-blind, took up a considerable space ; for 

 although it was perfectly calm, a breeze might arise. 

 And what with these and the pole for punting occa- 

 sionally, the deck of the vessel was in that approved 

 state of confusion which always characterises a ship 

 on the point of departure. Nor must Orion's fishing- 

 rod and gear be forgotten, nor the cigar-box at the 

 stern (a present from the landlady at the inn) which 

 contained a chart of the mere and a compass. 



With a ' yeo — heave-ho ! ' we levered her an inch 

 at a time, and then loosened her by working her from 

 side to side, and so, panting and struggling, shoved 

 the punt towards the deep. Slowly a course was 

 shaped out of the creek — past the bar and then 

 along the edge of the thick weeds, stretching so far 



