own out of sight.

Once or twice Dick made a dash at it with the hook, but each time to
miss, and they were led a pretty dance.

"He's a girt big un, lads, a very girt big un," said Dave, as he rested
for a moment or two with the end of the pole in the water, waiting for
the bladder to reappear, and then rowed the punt softly in the direction
in which it was gliding. "Says, shall a give 'em up?"

"No, no," cried Dick. "Here, lend me the pole. I'll soon catch him."

Dave smiled, but did not give up the pole.

"Nay, lad, I'll ketch up to un. Wait a bit; fish'll be tired 'fore Dave
Gittans."

The pursuit continued in the most exasperating way, and to an onlooker
it would have been exceedingly absurd, since it seemed as if the man and
his companions were off oh the great mere with its open spaces of water
and islands of reeds, and lanes through them like so many little crooked
canals, in pursuit of a white pig's-bladder tied round the middle to
make it double. There it would lie till the boat neared, and then off
it went with a skim that took it twenty, thirty, or forty yards. Next
time the boat neared, instead of the skim it would begin to dance as if
in mockery, bobbing down whenever Dick reached over with his hook, and
always keeping out of his reach, just as if a mocking spirit directed
all its movements and delighted in tantalising them. Again, after a
long run over the deep water, it would be quite still, and the punt
would be sent forward so cautiously that the capture seemed to be a
moral certainty; but so sure as Dick crept to the extreme end of the
punt and reached out, there was a tremor for an instant visible on the
water and the bladder disappeared.

"He must be a monster!" cried Dick, whose face was scarlet. "Oh, Dave,
do go more quietly this time!"

"Let me try!" cried Tom, making a snatch at the hook.

"No! I'll have him," said Dick. "I wouldn't miss this chance for the
world!"

"Ay, I'll goo up quiet-like," said Dave, pausing to give himself an
opium pill before resuming his task. "Yow be quicker this time, lad--a
bold dash and you'll get him!"

The double-looking bladder seemed now to be quite divided in two, for
the string had grown tighter in being drawn through the water, and as it
lay quite still, about forty yards from them, it looked a task that a
child might have done, to go up to it softly and hook the string.

"Now!" said Dave as he propelled the boat stern foremost by wor