Two Big Pike. 91 



the well of the punt, which was three parts full 

 of water, and proceeded on our voyage ; when 

 all at once we heard a terrible splash and 

 commotion in the well, saw a flash of some- 

 thing shiny white, a flap on the seat, and it 

 was some seconds before we realized the fact 

 that Robert's fish was gone. There was a hole 

 about six inches square in the cover of the 

 well, through which the fish had jumped and 

 disappeared. Robert's face (always a long one) 

 assumed still longer proportions; he could not 

 believe his eyes ; he looked in the punt, he 

 looked in the water, but the fish was clean 

 gone and no mistake. Robert at length looked 

 up, and in a louder and more excited tone than 

 I ever heard him issue from his lips before, 

 exclaimed, " Hadn't us better go back and look 

 arter'n, sir." I said, " If it was a turnpike road 

 we might, but as it is about fourteen feet of water 

 instead, I do not fancy it will be of much use." 

 Robert lost his voice altogether, and entirely 

 collapsed for some time, but he was brought to 

 life again in this way. I had as yet caught 

 nothing; I had had one run, but the fish after 

 carrying the bait some distance left it. I was 

 lazily letting my bait sink to the bottom to 



