?" he inquired.

"Iss, iss, doctor," was the smith's curt reply; "jump in, an' go 'long
with us."

Oliver accepted the invitation, and was rowed towards a part of the bay
where the sea appeared to be boiling. The boat was a large one,
attended by several others of smaller dimensions. The boiling spot
being reached, Maggot, whose whole being was in a blaze of enthusiasm,
leaped up and seized the end of a seine-net--three hundred fathoms long
by fourteen deep--which he began to throw overboard with the utmost
energy, while the boat was rowed swiftly round the mass of fish. David
Trevarrow assisted him, and in less than four minutes the whole net was
in the sea. One of the other boats, meanwhile, had fastened another net
to the first, and, rowing in an opposite direction from it, progressed
in a circular course, dropping its net as it went, until the two met--
and thus an immense shoal of pilchards were enclosed.

The nets being floated on the surface with corks, and their lower ends
sunk to the bottom with leads, the fish were thus securely imprisoned.
But the security was not great; a gale might arise which would sweep
away the whole concern, or the pilchards might take a fancy to make a
dash in one particular direction, in the event of which they would
certainly burst the net, and no human power could save a single fin. In
order to prevent this, the men in the smaller boats rowed round the
seine, beat the sea with their oars, hallooed, and otherwise exerted
themselves to keep the fish in the centre of the enclosure. Meanwhile a
little boat entered within the circle, having a small net, named a
"tuck-net," which was spread round the seine, inside, and gradually
drawn together, until the fish were raised towards the surface in a
solid, sweltering mass. The excitement at this point became tremendous.
Thousands of silvery fish leaped, vaulted, and fluttered in a seething
mass on the sea. Maggot roared and yelled his orders like a Stentor.
Even mild David Trevarrow lost self-command, and shouted vociferously.

"Hand the basket!" cried Maggot.

A large basket, with a rope attached to one handle, was produced.
Maggot seized the other handle, and thrust it down among the wriggling
pilchards. Trevarrow hauled on the rope, lifted the basket out of the
sea, and a cataract of living silver was shot into the boat, accompanied
by a mighty cheer. Basketful after basketful followed, until the men
stood leg-deep in fish.