ripped our dear old
salt tute. He understood our youthful difficulties, sympathised with
our interests, and, not limiting his duties to hearing us recite, taught
us _how to study_.

As August waned the fishing improved, and with the little fiddler or
soldier crab we caught fish of three and four pounds instead of those of
one and two pounds that had a month ago employed us. And then the
striped bass, the _Labrus lineatus_, the king of saltwater game fish--
what splendid sport they furnished!

These last we caught, some of us with the pole and reel, some with the
hand-line. But it was active work to throw out about sixty yards of
line and then troll it quickly back through the eddies off the rocks,
where the bass fed and sported. The Captain was great at this;
despising the pole and waving the bait round and round his head, he
would throw it full a hundred yards to sea.

I tell you it was exciting to hook a five or six pounder and have him
make off with a lurch. Pay out then, quick, quick, just keeping a
"feel" of the fellow's mouth, and as he slacks his speed, tauten your
line, and pull in with all your strength. Slower now, as he begins to
haul back. Now look out; he is off again with a mightier spring and
greater speed than before. Pay out, quick and steady. So, again and
again, his strength getting less and less, until you can tow him up to
the rock, and your companion put the gaff in his ruddy gills.

Many a noble fish escaped; many a line and hook snapped in the warfare.
Sometimes a much larger fish would take hold, and two of us would have
to pull on the line stretched like wire. During the season we took a
seven-pounder, one of eight, and one of ten pounds, and Captain Mugford,
alone on the rocks, one stormy morning, when we boys were in school,
captured a royal fellow of twelve pounds, and brought it for our
admiring gaze as we went to dinner. Mr Clare promised to beat that,
but he never did.

One Saturday afternoon, about the last of August, just after a somewhat
heavy gale, which had been blowing for a couple of days, we all repaired
to Bass Rocks, though the sky was drizzling yet, and the spray of the
waves dashed at every blow clear over our stand.

It was apparently a splendid time for our friends, the labrus, but we
did not get a bite. We persevered, however, fresh baiting the hooks,
and throwing out again and again, with not a fin to flash after them
through the curdled waters.

Harry