in the morning sun,
and making the water surge as he endeavoured to reach a portion of the
river more suitable for his bulk, a large pike came down the stream on
his side. He was a monster, and seemed nearly a yard long, and so big
that the boys could do nothing but stare at him at first; but Harry was
not to be put out of countenance by the biggest pike in England, so at
him he rushed.

"Come on," he shouted, "turn him back. If he gets past the stones, the
water is deeper, and we shall lose him."

Philip and Fred closed in, but never put forth a hand to touch the pike.
Not so Harry, for he boldly made a dash at it, and caught hold of the
slippery monster, who gave a flash with his tail, and was off yards
away, with Harry in full pursuit; and this time, the water being
shallower, he managed to give a good kick at the fresh-water shark, but
only one, for the fish gave another shoot, and was gone.

"There's a brute!" said Harry. "He might just as well have been caught.
Wasn't he a thumper?"

"Let's get some water-cresses and take home," said Phil.

"Where are there any?" said Fred, who had never seen them growing
before.

"Why, here, all about; here's lots and lots."

So the lads set to, and picked a goodly bunch a piece, Philip
remembering, too, a little bouquet of forget-me-nots for his mother; and
then, landing on the opposite side, they strolled up the river to see if
they could see Harry's friend, the pike, but, no! he was invisible; and
not to be wondered at, after the manner in which he had been treated.
Still, though there was no pike, there was plenty else to be seen, for
the fish were rising all over the river; and out in the bright calm
places great chub were lazily basking in the warm sun. On every
shallow, shoals of roach and dace appeared, and rushed out in silvery
squadrons over the pebbly bottom; while the minnows and gudgeon seemed
as though they had been drilled, so regularly and closely they kept
together as they darted out into the middle of the river.

Plenty to be seen? Ay, plenty; pretty little reed-warblers twittering
and chattering in amongst the strands which formed their waving home;
and every now and then the little bearded tits made their appearance,
but only to dart out of sight again in a moment. High over head sang
the lark, "trill--trill--trill;" and the soft sweetness of the morning
seemed to pervade everything. Now and then red and orange billed
moor-hens would lead the