were full of washed-out worms such
as the fat eels loved, but for which they often had to pay very dear,
for it came to pass that they were often carried by the swift waters
into the great stone chute. Then, in all probability, their fate was
sealed, for they would be borne along to the end, writhing and
struggling in vain, only to be carried right over the turning wheel
before falling into the great, square, stone opening below, where
another rushing chute carried them onward into a stout, iron-barred cage
whose bottom and sides were so closely set that only the very small
could wriggle through. The larger collected in a writhing cluster just
where an iron, cage-like door could be opened, and a basket held to
receive the spoil.

But this particular night, in spite of its promise, showed no
performance. The little party, lantern bearing, descended a flight of
steps, hardly able to make each other hear, so great was the echoing
splash going on around, and stopped at the bottom in a dank, dripping,
stone chamber, close to the floor of the iron cage.

"How are you going to cook 'em, Mr Manners?" said Will, with his lips
close to his companion's ear.

"Some stewed, some spitchcocked, and the rest in a pie."

"Then we're not coming to dine," cried Will, laughing, as he threw the
light of the lantern upon the cage, where there was a wet gleam as
something slowly glided round.

"Oh, what a shame!" cried Josh. "Why, there's only one!"

"Yes, only one," said Will, "and it isn't worth while to open this
nasty, wet, slimy door for him."

"Oh, but there'll be some more," cried Josh; "there's plenty of time.
In about an hour there'll be as many as we can carry."

"But we are not going to wait in this dreary hole," said Manners. "I
don't enjoy eels when I've got a cold."

"Oh, no," cried Will; "we will go and have a bit of a walk, and come
down again."

They drew back from the eel-trap, Will leading the way, and made for a
door in the huge shed, where the lantern was carefully extinguished and
put on a ledge, before they stepped out into the dark night, the closing
of the door behind them shutting in a good deal of the hollow roar, with
its whispering echoes. That which they listened to now was more splash,
rush and hurry, as the wheel turned at greater than its usual speed, and
the overladen dam relieved itself of its contents.

Still there was too much noise for easy converse, and they tramped on,
Will with the