d close behind him, and with delight saw a noble salmon
glistening now and then in the straggling moonlight, and playing
securely in the shallow water, but ready to dart out into the deeper
part of the stream at the slightest sound. In another instant a crimson
bubble came up to the surface of the water, showing with how unerring a
hand the clumsy-looking weapon manufactured by Master Pearson had been
struck home. At a signal the rest of the party came up to him to carry
off their prize, while he continued looking about for another. They
felt inclined to be rather annoyed at the ease with which the stranger
had captured a fish which they would have thought it impossible to kill
in the same way. Smedley at that moment declared that he heard sounds
in the distance, which made him fear that the keepers were coming
through the wood. "If we are not off we shall be getting into trouble,"
he sung out.

"Hoot, mon!" cried Master Pearson, loud enough to be heard through the
brawling of the weir; "you have time enough to learn how to strike a
`sawmon;' but come, I will show you another trick, since we have joined
company for the night."

Saying this, he returned to the boat, and, putting on his coat and
boots, produced a small lantern from his capacious horseman's pocket.
With a flint and steel it was lighted, when, leaning over the side of
the boat, he slowly moved the light along the surface of the water.

"Now stand by with your nets," he answered, "and you will soon pull up
enough fish for your suppers."

As he spoke, the lads saw a number of small fish attracted by the light
to the surface of the water; and, following his advice, in a short time
a considerable quantity were caught.

"This is not proper sunning," he observed: "if I had had such a lantern
as we use in the north, we should have caught far larger fish. It
should be made watertight, and then, when lowered down close to the net,
the fish are so eager to come and see the cause of the brightness,
thinking, maybe, that the sun has come down to pay them a visit, that
they swim right against the net, and are caught in great numbers. That
is what we call sunning in the north."

"I heard a voice!" exclaimed Smedley, as Master Pearson ceased speaking.
"There!--there again! It's the keepers as sure as we are living men!"

"Hold your tongue!" exclaimed Master Pearson somewhat sharply. "Here,
give me the oars; we will soon distance the keepers, if so be that