ad, gudgeons."

"Where did you get them?" asked Tom. "There are no gudgeons in the fen
waters."

"Not as I iver see," said Dave with his quiet laugh. "I went right
across to Ealand, and then walked four mile with my net and that boocket
to Brader's Mill on little Norley stream and ketched 'em theer, and
carried 'em all the way back to the boat--four mile. For, I says, I
should like they boys to ketch a big pike or two, and gudgeons is best
baits I know."

"Better than roach and rudd, Dave?"

"Ay, or perch, or tench, or anything. Carp's a good bait; but you can't
always ketch carps."

"You are a good chap, Dave!" cried Tom.

"Ay, that I am, lads. I say, though, talk 'bout ketching; hev the
squire and Farmer Tallington ketched the chap as sat fire to Grimsey
stables?"

"Nobody set fire to Grimsey stables," said Tom. "It was to the stacks."

"Nay, lad, I knows better than that," cried Dave, shaking his head.
"Why, didn't I see with my own eyes as roof weer all bont off the top o'
stable, and doors gone."

"Yes; but the stable caught fire from the stacks," said Dick.

"Yah! how could it? Why, it's reight the other side o' the house."

"Well, couldn't the sparks and flames of fire float over and set light
to the thatch?" cried Dick.

"Set fire to the thack!" said Dave. "Ah, well, I warn't theer! But hev
they ketched him?"

"No, and not likely to. There, never mind Tallington's stacks; let's
try for the pike."

"Ay, lads, we will," said Dave, and, plunging his hand into the bucket,
he took out a transparent gudgeon, whose soft backbone was faintly
visible against the light; then carefully passing the hook through its
tough upper lip, he dropped it over the side of the boat into the water
directly.

"Theer, lads," he said; "now over with that blether."

Dick seized the line, and as the gudgeon swam off he dropped the bladder
over the side, and it was slowly towed away.

"I wish fishing wasn't so precious cruel," said Tom, as he watched the
bladder dance upon the surface, while the punt was slowly thrust away
from the neighbourhood of the reed-bed, where the big pike was supposed
to lie.

"'Tisn't cruel," said Dick.

"'Tis. How should you like to be that gudgeon with a hook in your
mouth, or the pike when he's caught?"

"Sarve him right for killing all the little fishes," growled Dave,
punting gently along.

"Why did you come fishing?" said Dick sharply.

"'Cause I like it," said Tom fr