180 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



" There's summut alive there, safe enough," 

 they all said. 



" Pull at it like blazes," said Rigings, 

 " look, look, its going away/' and so it was, 

 for the gents were pulling it. 



Bigings now began to pull as hard as he 

 tiiought his line would bear, and the anglers 

 in the punt pulled against him, which caused 

 the line to slip up the boat-post, so that the 

 black figure rose to the surface of the water. 

 As soon as they saw it, they all bawled out, 

 " There it is ! I can see it ! " 



" Why, what in the name of the Virgin 

 is it ! " said Bigings " why, its quite 

 black ! " 



" Black ! " said Rigings, " why its as black 

 as the old J un himself ! Upon my conscience 

 I really think it is him ! I don't wonder you 

 can't get him out ! " And he shrugged up 

 his shoulders and made a theatrical face, and 

 Bigings absolutely began to look frightened, 

 for as the anglers in the punt pulled the cord, 

 it slipped up the post, and brought the head 

 of the figure to the top of the water, so that 

 it had the appearance of dancing. Stickings, 

 who, not being used to drinking, was above 

 three sheets in the wind, became very serious 



