Tisn't a very big one, Tom; but he's strong," said Dick,
pulling the captive to the side, for his companion to gaff and lift into
the boat. "Why, it's a perch!"

A perch it was--a fine one with ruddy fins and boldly-barred sides, and,
though fine for his kind, less than three pounds in weight.

"I thowt that was what he was," said Dave, laughing, "when I sin him
skim that theer blether along. Pop him in the basket, lads, and let's
get all the rest of the liggers out, or we shall make a poor time of
it."

He plied the pole vigorously and soon stopped to let the boat glide
towards an opening in the reeds, where a long water-way ran in. Here
another buoyed bait was left, and then they went on to lay another and
another, the old decoy-man, with the knowledge bought by very long
experience, selecting choice spots till the whole set were disposed of
in the course of an hour, over a space far exceeding a mile.

"We shall never recollect where they were all set, Dave," said Dick at
last, as he stood up looking back along the side of one of the big pools
to which they had made their way through what resembled a little river
running among the reeds and joining two great pools together.

"You wouldn't," grumbled the man; "but p'raps I may. Now let's go
reight back, and see if theer's any on, or--don't you think, lads, it's
'bout time to try and ketch me?"

Dick stared.

"He means he wants you to try if he'd take a corner of the pie, Dick, if
you offered it to him as a bait," cried Tom laughing, while Dave's
yellow visage developed into something like a grin.

"Ay, that's it, lad--I feel as if I could coot a loaf in two, and eat
half wi'out winking. Nay, wait and I'll throost the boat up to yon
trees. Hey, look at that!"

He shaded his eyes, and gazed at a large flock of birds flying as
closely together, apparently, as starlings, and hundreds upon hundreds
in number. They were flying swiftly at a good height, when all at once,
as if by a signal, they changed their direction, and, with the accuracy
of drilling, darted down in a great bird stream straight for the earth,
disappearing behind a low patch of willows.

"Golden plovers!" cried Dick, excitedly. "Oh, Dave, if you were there
with a gun!"

"Ay, lad, and I'm here wi' a pole," said Dave. "Niver mind, I may get a
few perhaps wi' my net. Now, then, never mind the pie-wipes; let's wipe
that theer pie."

He rapidly thrust the boat along till it was close to