nce between perch just out of the water, fresh and
good, and perch which have been dragged about in a fish cart, under a
hot sun, for two or three days."

Mrs. Duncan fully agreed with this sage remark, and did not think it
improved any kind of fish to keep them a great while after they were
caught.

"One dollar and nineteen cents, mother; here is the money," continued
Paul, emptying the contents of the wallet into her lap. "What do you
think of the fishing business _now_, mother?"

"It has proved to be a very good business so far: but you must not
expect people to eat perch all the year round, Paul. They will get sick
of them after a while."

"Then I shall go farther off; but there are other fish besides perch,
and I don't intend to confine my operations to one kind. There are eels,
and smelts, and cod, and haddock; and if worse comes to worse, I can go
into the clam trade."

"What a boy!" laughed Mrs. Duncan. "You are so determined that I have no
doubt you will succeed."

"If I don't, it shall not be my fault," replied Paul, complacently.

"But you don't mean to follow this business all your life?"

"Why not?"

"The life of a fisherman is not the pleasantest in the world."

"That's according to one's taste. If I only had a good boat, I can't
think of anything that would suit me better."

"It is hard work."

"So much the better. You said that five dollars a week would support the
family. Now, if you have no objection, I will save up all I make over
that sum, till I get enough to buy a boat."

"Certainly, Paul; and if you give me three dollars a week, or even two,
I can get along very well."

"I shall not do that, mother. I am going to support the family, anyhow;
and I wish you wouldn't take any more bags to make."

"You mustn't think of doing too much, Paul."

"Too much! I shall be idle half the time, at this rate. Here I am, with
my day's work done at three o'clock in the afternoon. I don't want you
to do anything, mother, but take care of the house, as you always used
to do."

"There will certainly be no need of it, if you get along as well as you
expect. How much will such a boat as you want cost, Paul?"

"Well, I don't know; when I buy I want to get a first-rate one."

"How much do you think."

"Fifty to seventy-five dollars; but I won't think of such a thing yet a
while. The old one will do very well for the present. I can save up
something every week, and little by little, I shall make u