THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 183 



ings and Rigings on their backs; and there 

 for some seconds they were all down together. 

 Stickings was the first on his legs, and into 

 the river he jumped, and laid hold of Bigings, 

 and, assisted by Rigings, Bigings scrambled 

 out. 



" There's a wonderful thing !' ? said Bigings, 

 as soon as he got his breath and had puffed 

 a little. "It must be one of the imps of 

 the bottomless pit, to serve anybody in that 

 manner I But never mind, I've got my rod 

 and line !" and so saying, he took off his hat 

 and began slinging the water from it, while 

 Stickings stamped his feet to shake the water 

 off his legs ; and Rigings, half smiling, stood 

 staring at them with one hand lifted up in 

 theatrical attitude. 



Just at this juncture a little cur dog at 

 some distance from them arrested their atten- 

 tion, for he was coughing, and yelping, and 

 trying to get away from something that held 

 him by the mouth, and running at the same 

 time. They soon discovered the cause of his 

 noise ; he had seized hold of the piece of beef- 

 sieak on Rigings' hook, which was on the 

 ground, and swallowed it, and got the hook 

 in his jaw, and was going away, pulling the 



