dlies, coddlings, and shrimps
that one is apt to associate with summer resorts by the sea. They were
those veritable inhabitants of the deep that figure on the slabs of
Billingsgate and similar markets--plaice and skate of the largest
dimensions, congers that might suggest the great sea serpent, and even
sharks of considerable size.

The surroundings were cognate. Curlews and sandpipers whistled on the
shore, complaining sea-mews sailed overhead, and the low-lying skerries
outside were swarming with "skarts" and other frequenters of the wild
north.

"Oh, _what_ a funny face!" exclaimed Junkie, as a great seal rose head
and shoulders out of the sea, not fifty yards off, to look at them. Its
observations induced it to sink promptly.

"Let co the anchor, Tonal'," said Ian; "the pottom should be cood here."

"Hand me the pait, Junkie," said McGregor.

"Shie a bit this way," shouted Eddie.

"There--I've broke it!" exclaimed Junkie, almost whimpering, as he held
up the handle of his knife in one hand, and in the other a mussel with a
broken blade sticking in it.

"Never mind, Junkie. You can have mine, and keep it," said Mabberly,
handing to the delighted boy a large buck-horn-handled knife, which
bristled with appliances.

"An' don't try it on again," said Ian. "Here iss pait for you, my poy."

A few minutes more, and the lines were down, and expectation was
breathlessly rampant.

"Hi!" burst from Eddie, at the same moment that "Ho!" slipped from
McGregor; but both ceased to haul in on finding that the "tugs" were not
repeated.

"Hallo!" yelled "Tonal'," who fished beside Junkie, on feeling a tug
worthy of a whale; and, "Hee! hee!" burst from Junkie, whose mischievous
hand had caused the tug when ragged head was not looking.

In the midst of these false alarms Ivor drew up his line, and no one was
aware of his success until a fish of full ten pounds' weight was
floundering in the boat. The boys were yet commenting on it noisily,
when Ian put a large cod beside it.

"_What_ a tug!" cried Eddie, beginning to haul up in violent haste.

"Hev a care, or the line will pairt," said McGregor.

At the same moment "Shames" himself gave a jerk, as if he had received
an electric shock, and in a few seconds a large plaice and a small crab
were added to the "pile!"

"I've got _something_ at last," said Mabberly, doing his best to repress
excitement as he hauled in his line deliberately.

The something turned ou