hile he was chatting about the fish he was picking up a few
damaged scraps of shelly oyster, laying them in a shell for bait, and
then preparing the line by tying on the lead and a good-sized hook.

"Now then, my lad; ready?" he cried.

"Oh, yes, I'm ready and waiting," replied the boy. "I say, doesn't it
make you feel in good spirits to be out here? I should like to run and
shout."

"Then you just won't, my lad. But it do seem jolly and comf'table like.
I feel as if I could sit down and whistle for hours. Now then, don't
you get that line tangled. I've laid it all in a hank ready to run out;
and don't ram them hooks in your fingers, because they're hard to cut
out. Now, you carry them and the shell o' bait and I'll carry you."

"No, no; I'll take off my shoes and socks, and tuck up my trousers."

"Tucking up wouldn't do. You'd have to take 'em off, and then you'd cut
your feet on the sharp coral. You're going to do what I sez."

"I say, Bob, what an old tyrant you are! Just you wait till I get well
and can do as I like."

"All right, my lad; I'm waiting. Then you can do as you like, but you
can't yet. Here, you be off. None o' them games, or I shall have to
shoot you."

"No, I shall," said Carey.

"Nay, that you won't," growled the old sailor. "I'm not going to stand
by while you fires that gun as'll kick and upset your shoulder again."

"Bother my shoulder!" cried Carey, impatiently, and he leaned back to
gaze up at two beautiful grey and white gulls which for the last few
minutes had been sailing gracefully round them and coming nearer and
nearer, watching the two strangers curiously the while.

"They're after the oysters, Bob," said Carey.

"Yes, smells 'em, or sees 'em. Birds have got wonderful eyes and
noses."

"Beaks, Bob," said Carey, laughing.

"Smellers, then, my lad. Well, they can't get at the soup meat in the
bucket, and they only clean the shells, so we'll let 'em alone. Now
then, up you come."

The next minute Bostock was wading out to the raft with Carey in his
arms, after which he poled their clumsy craft out to the end of the two
coral ridges which formed the little canal.

As soon as he had made fast, the hook was carefully baited, the line
laid in rings with one end fastened to a plank, and with a gentle swing
the lead thrown out into a clear spot, to fall with a splash in the
smooth water, forming rings which ever widened as they glided away.

"I wonder whether t