said Kenneth humbly, 'but how can I get out?'

'There's only one way,' said the Carp rolling his vast body over in his
watery bed, 'and a jolly unpleasant way it is. Far better stay here and
be a good little fish. On the honour of a gentleman that's the best
thing you can do.'

'I want to get out,' said Kenneth again.

'Well then, the only way is ... you know we always teach the young fish
to look out for hooks so that they may avoid them. _You_ must look out
for a hook and _take it_. Let them catch you. On a hook.'

The Carp shuddered and went on solemnly, 'Have you strength? Have you
patience? Have you high courage and determination? You will want them
all. Have you all these?'

'I don't know what I've got,' said poor Kenneth, 'except that I've got a
tail and fins, and I don't know a hook when I see it. Won't you come
with me? Oh! dear Mr. Doyen Carp, _do_ come and show me a hook.'

'It will hurt you,' said the Carp, 'very much indeed. You take a
gentleman's word for it.'

'I know,' said Kenneth, 'you needn't rub it in.'

The Carp rolled heavily out of his bed.

'Come on then,' he said, 'I don't admire your taste, but if you _want_ a
hook, well, the gardener's boy is fishing in the cool of the evening.
Come on.'

He led the way with a steady stately movement.

'I want to take the ring with me,' said Kenneth, 'but I can't get hold
of it. Do you think you could put it on my fin with your snout?'

'My what!' shouted the old Carp indignantly and stopped dead.

'Your nose, I meant,' said Kenneth. 'Oh! please don't be angry. It would
be so kind of you if you would. Shove the ring on, I mean.'

'That will hurt too,' said the Carp, and Kenneth thought he seemed not
altogether sorry that it should.

It did hurt very much indeed. The ring was hard and heavy, and somehow
Kenneth's fin would not fold up small enough for the ring to slip over
it, and the Carp's big mouth was rather clumsy at the work. But at last
it was done. And then they set out in search of a hook for Kenneth to be
caught with.

'I wish we could find one! I wish we could!' Kenneth Fish kept saying.

'You're just looking for trouble,' said the Carp. 'Well, here you are!'

Above them in the clear water hung a delicious-looking worm. Kenneth Boy
did not like worms any better than you do, but to Kenneth Fish that worm
looked most tempting and delightful.

'Just wait a sec.,' he said, 'till I get that worm.'

'You little silly,' said the Carp