r to secure our prize, exclaiming--

"Faix, thin, we'll have this darlint for our supper to-night; and,
bedad! there is another at my line. Hurrah! good luck to us!"

Throwing the fish to me, which proved to be a gold-eye, he sprang off,
just in time to catch his rod, the end of which was nearly off the bank.

"Och, murther," he cried out, "but it's a big one!" and he rushed along
the shore, jumping over all impediments; shrieking out in his eagerness
in a manner which would have made a sedate Indian fancy that he had gone
out of his mind.

I could not help laughing as I watched him.

"Come along, Masther Roger, and lend me a hand, or the baste will be
afther getting away."

Securing our first prize, I followed Mike as he rushed along down the
bank, afraid of breaking his line, which was by this time stretched to
the utmost. Now he gently pulled it in, now he allowed it to go off
again, as he felt the strain increase. By thus dexterously managing the
fish for some minutes, he at length brought it close to the shore, and I
caught sight of an ugly-looking dark monster.

"Sure, it's a cat-fish, and mighty good ateing too, though it's no
beauty," exclaimed Mike. "Get howld of him, Masther Roger; get howld of
him, or he will be off."

Following Mike's example, I dashed into the water and grasped the huge
creature, although, covered as it was with slime, it was no easy matter
to do so. Giving it a sudden jerk, I threw it on shore, rushing after
it to prevent its floundering back again into its native element. It
proved to be a prize worth having, being at least seven or eight pounds
in weight. It was a wonder how, with such slight tackle, Mike had
contrived to hold it.

We agreed that, as we had now an ample supply of fish for one day at
least, we would not run the risk of losing our hooks; and accordingly,
carrying our two prizes, we made our way back to the part of the bank we
had selected for our camp. It was under a widespreading tree, which
extended over the water, and would materially serve to hide a fire,
which we agreed to light on a piece of flat ground, almost level with
the water. We soon collected a sufficient supply of sticks, and had our
fire blazing and our fish cooking. The cat-fish, in spite of its ugly
name and uglier looks, proved excellent, though somewhat rich--tasting
very like an eel.

Having eaten a hearty meal, and cooked the remainder of our fish for the
next day, we put out our