luck up the Sharle," said Tom.

"You'll be sold if you do," said Gus. "We were down looking at it, and
a pretty state it's in. Old Skinner at the Tannery took it into his
head to leave his gates up last night, and his muck has got into the
river and poisoned every fish in it--hasn't it, Shad?"

"Rather!" replied Shad. "I was glad enough to get my nose away from the
place."

"Here's a go, Charlie!" said Tom, turning to his young companion.

During this short conversation Charlie had passed through all the
anguish of a bitter disappointment. It is no light thing to have the
hope of days snuffed out all in a moment, and he was ready to cry with
vexation. However it couldn't be helped, and he had learned before now
how to take a disappointment like a man. So when Tom appealed to him he
put a good face on it, and said,--

"Awful hard lines. Never mind, let's go back and see the match with the
Badgers, Tom."

"Why don't you come with us?" asked Gus. "We are going to Gurley; have
you ever been to Gurley, young un?"

"No," said Charlie.

"Come along, then, we'll show it you. It's a prime town, isn't it,
Margetson?"

"Don't ask me," said Margetson; "I'd sooner see about Gurley than catch
a seven-pounder, any day."

"And besides," said Tom, "isn't there some good fishing above the lock!
Come along, Charlie; we shall not be baulked of our day's sport after
all."

Charlie joined the party, although he did not conceive any great
admiration for Tom's three friends. His anxiety not to offend his now
reconciled enemy, and the possibility of fishing after all, overruled
him; and still dragging the bag, he trudged along with the others
towards Gurley.

As they approached the town he could not help noticing the number of
holiday-makers and vehicles that passed them. There were drags full of
gaily-dressed ladies; and gentlemen who wore veils; and there were light
jaunty dog-carts with spruce young white-hatted gentlemen perched in
them; there were vans in which corks were popping like musketry fires
and parties on foot like themselves, hurrying forward with loud laughter
and coarse music.

"Surely," thought he, "there's something on at Gurley."

Presently a waggonette, driven by a very loud youth in a check suit, and
with an enormous cigar in his mouth, pulled up in passing, and its
driver addressed Gus.

"So you've found _your_ way here, have you, my young bantam? Catch
_you_ being out of a good thing. A