gly--

"I nebber tink dat ob any good."

"But it is good if I could strike one," I said, testily.

"Um on'y tummle off 'gain, Mass' George."

"Never mind; try and find another good hole, I'll do it yet."

He gave his head a rub and went on along the river-side, peering among
the overhanging bushes, and one way and another we made a trail that any
one could have followed; but likely holes and pools were scarce now, and
I was getting hot, faint, and weary, when, after creeping close to the
edge of the stream again, Pomp signed to me to give him the lance.

I hesitated for a moment, not liking to give up, but ended by passing
the spear; and, taking it, Pomp lay flat down, crept to the edge where
the bank overhung the river, as it proved, very gently thrust his eyes
beyond, drew back, and quickly picked a good-sized bunch of long grass,
which he bound at one end, opened the bunch at the other, and put it on
like a cap, the result being that the long grassy strands hung right
over his face loosely.

He laughed at me, and crept back again, moving his head slowly to and
fro for a few moments, as if to get the occupants of the pool used to
his presence.

Then very slowly and cautiously he manipulated the lance shaft, so that
it was upright, and holding it with both hands lowered the point down
and down till six feet had disappeared, then seven, eight, nine at
least; and as I was thinking how deep it must be down there, the long
cane became stationary, with the boy's hands holding it above his head.

I stood leaning forward, wondering what luck he would have, and full of
hope, for I was too hungry to feel envious and hope that he would miss.
But still he did not strike, and the moments glided on till I was
getting quite out of patience, and about to creep forward and look down
to see how big the fish might be, when, quick as thought, down went the
shaft with a tremendous dig, and then, with the cane quivering
exceedingly, Pomp seemed to be holding something he had pinned tightly
down against the bottom, till its first fierce struggles were at an end.

"Got him?" I exclaimed, joyfully.

"Pomp 'tick knife right froo um," he panted; and then springing up, he
rapidly drew the shaft from the water, hand over hand, till, to my
intense astonishment, he raised to the bank, muddy, dripping, and
flapping heavily, the largest terrapin I had seen, and putting his foot
upon it, he drew out the spear, which had transfixed it righ