ff.

"You won't go without us, Dave?" said Dick, as the boat glided away.

"Nay, not I," was the reply; and the boys watched him till he poled in
among the thin dry winter reeds, through which he seemed to pass in a
shadowy way, and then disappear.

CHAPTER TEN.

A TRIMMERING EXPEDITION.

A stormy time ensued, lasting about a fortnight, during which the
draining business was hindered; but, upon the whole, the progress made
was steady, for a number of men were now employed, and the fen people,
who visited the outfall now and then, began to realise what kind of dyke
it was that would run across the great swamp.

At last one evening, as the lads had wandered down to Hickathrift's, and
were talking to the great bluff wheelwright as he worked away with his
axe at roughly shaping the shaft of a sledge, Dave came silently up,
followed by the little decoy-dog; and the first knowledge of his
presence was given by an attack made upon Hickathrift's big lurcher,
which, after showing its teeth angrily, settled down, and seemed to look
scornfully at the little animal, before closing its eyes as if to go to
sleep.

"Hallo, Dave!" cried the lads together; "want us?"

"Nay, I don't want you, my lads."

"Well, then, we want you," cried Tom.

"Eh?"

"To take us out after the pike, as you promised."

"Nay, it would be too cold, and you wouldn't like it."

"How do you know, Dave?" cried Dick. "Come, when shall we start?"

"Well," said Dave, looking about him as if in search of a good piece of
wood which might prove useful, "I dunno. You lads do as you likes; but
if I wanted to go, I sud say as the weather was nicely sattled, and
start to-morrow morning."

The hour was settled, as well as the weather, and after obtaining the
requisite permission the lads were punctual to their time, and found
Dave waiting in his punt, upon whose thwart he was seated gravely tying
a hook on to a stout piece of twisted horse-hair.

"Got everything ready, Dave?" cried Dick.

"Ay, lad; all ready."

"So are we. Look, Dave," cried Dick, swinging up the big basket he
carried, "pork-pie, bread and cheese, and a lump of bacon, and--"

Dave's face twitched as he listened, but he did not speak, only waited;
till, after waiting awhile to whet the man's anxiety, Dick added:

"And a big bottle of beer."

"Oh, I don't want no beer!" grumbled Dave. "Watter's good enough for
me."

"Let's leave it behind, Tom," said Dick archly. "It will