l
up there on the floor.

One moment I saw myself flying for my life from a huge writhing
open-mouthed creature, and saved by a gallant attack made by Piter, who,
hearing the noise, had dashed in open-jawed to seize the fierce monster
by the neck; the next I was calling myself a donkey.

"Why, of course!" I cried. "When I hooked it the creature ran in
towards me, and has darted in and out of some grating and wound the line
tightly there."

That could not be the case, I felt as I pulled, for though it was
evident that the fish had entangled the line, it was in something loose
which I got nearly to the surface several times, as I gazed down there
in the darkness till all at once, just as I was straining my eyes to
make out what it was that was entangled with my hook, the cord snapped,
there was a dull plash below me, the water rippled and babbled against
the side, and all was still once more.

I stood gazing down for a few minutes, and then a flash of intelligence
shot through me, and I darted back, rapidly coiling up my wet line and
taking it and my basket up into the office, from whence I came hurrying
out, and ready to dash down two steps at a time.

"Why, of course," I kept on saying to myself; "what stupids!"

I ran across the yard, unlocked and relocked the gate, leaving Piter
disappointed and barking, and hurried back to the house, where my uncles
were busy over some correspondence.

"Hurrah!" I cried. "I've found it all out. Come along! Down to the
works!"

"You've found out!" cried Uncle Dick starting.

"Found it all out!" I cried excitedly. "Now, then, all of you! Come
on and see."

I slipped down to Mrs Stephenson after telling my uncles to go slowly
on and that I would overtake them, and that lady smiled in my face as
soon as she saw me.

"Don't say a word!" she cried. "I know what you want. Tattsey, get out
the pork-pie."

"No, no," I cried; "you mistake. I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense, my dear! And if you're not hungry now, you will be before
long. I've a beautiful raised pie of my own making. Have a bit, my
dear. Bring it, Tattsey."

It was, I found, one of the peculiarities of these people to imagine
everybody was hungry, and their hospitality to their friends was without
stint.

Tattsey had not so much black-lead on her face as usual. In fact it was
almost clean, while her hands were beautifully white, consequent upon
its being peggy day; that is to say, the day in which