have a bite
for some time, and Monkey threw over a line. It had hardly run out
before he had a fish, and pulled in a good-sized cod.

"How's that?" said Mr. Howe. "I haven't had a nibble yet."

"Perhaps you don't fish right, sir," suggested Monkey, with one of his
apish grins, as he took the gentleman's line, and found that the sinker
was not within twenty feet of the bottom. "That's what's the matter,
sir. Drop the line down till the sinker touches bottom; then pull up
about a fathom."

The two passengers, following these instructions, began to pull in cod
and haddock very rapidly, and Monkey had all he could do to bait their
hooks, and take off their fish.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE DISCHARGE.

"Look here, Howe!" exclaimed Mr. Jones, tugging with all his might at
his line; "I'm pulling up the bottom of Penobscot Bay, as true as you
live!"

"Don't do that, sir," shouted Bobtail, merrily. "We shall get aground if
you do."

"What is it?" asked Mr. Howe.

"I don't know," replied Mr. Jones, still hauling away at his line, to
which some immense dead weight seemed to be attached. "It must be a
whale."

"No, sir; pull away," said Monkey, laughing; "you have got hold of your
grandmother."

"My grandmother!"

"Yes, sir; pull away, and you will see her in a minute."

After much tugging, for the fish was not at all "gamey," he hauled up
the strangest looking fish he had ever seen, though Bobtail and Monkey
were entirely familiar with the specimen. The hook, drawing upon his
mouth, so distended it, that its appearance was not unlike the face of
an old woman with a cap on. The fish was a large scate, not less than
three feet across the back. The gentlemen had never seen one before, and
he was hauled upon the deck to enable them to examine him.

Half an hour's fishing satisfied the passengers, as there was a tub full
of cod and haddock to show for their success. After the gentlemen had
fully satisfied their curiosity, the scate was thrown overboard. The
anchor was weighed, the jib hoisted, and the Skylark continued on her
voyage to Belfast. Monkey dressed a couple of the nicest cod, and then
washed down the deck. The Darwinian was then required to take the helm,
and Bobtail, sacrificing his dignity as the skipper of the craft, went
below and assumed the duties of cook and steward. He pared and sliced a
large quantity of potatoes, for Mr. Jones had declared that he was
already as hungry as a bear. These he fried,