ere! do you see?" he said softly, the sound of his voice passing over
the water so that it was like a whisper at his friend's ear, as he
dangled the bare hook.

"Oh yes, I see: fish nibbled it off."

"Hope you are right," said Drew softly, as he rebaited, dropped in the
white marble of paste, and watched it glide down the stream, drawing out
one by one the rings of line which he had carefully coiled up on the
rock when he drew it out.

Then stooping and picking a long, heavy, stream-washed, slaty fragment
from out of the water by his side, he made the end of his line fast to
it and laid it at his feet, so as to have his hands at liberty. With
these he drew out a cigarette-case and opened it, but his brow puckered
up as he looked disconsolately at its contents.

"The last two," he said softly. "Better keep 'em. Be more hungry
perhaps by-and-by."

Closing the case, he replaced it in his breast-pocket.

"The hardest job I know of," he muttered, "practising self-denial."
Then aloud, "Well, Bob, do they bite?"

"No: only suck. Lost two more baits; but I shall have a big one
directly."

"Glad of it. How will you cook it--roast or boil?"

"Don't chaff. Mind your own line."

Drew Lennox smiled, glanced down at his line, which the stream had now
drawn out tight, and, satisfied that the stone to which it was tied
would give him fair warning if he were fortunate enough to get a bite,
he stepped back, picked up his rifle, and taking out his handkerchief,
began to give it a rub here and a rub there, to add polish to the
well-cleaned barrel, trigger-guard, and lock.

He took some time over this, but at last all was to his satisfaction;
and laying down the piece on the rock by his side, he once more drew up
his line, glancing up-stream, to see that his companion was similarly
occupied, both finding the bait gone.

"I say, isn't it aggravating?" said Dickenson. "I know what they are--
sort of mullet-like fish with small mouths. Put on a smaller bait."

"All right; good plan," said Lennox.

"Wish to goodness I'd a few well-scoured English worms. I'd soon let
the fish know!"

"Ah, I suppose they would be useful," said Lennox, moulding up a piece
of paste and trying to make it as hard as he could. "I say, Bob."

"Hullo!"

"I've read that you can dig up great fat worms here in South Africa,
eighteen inches long."

"Dig one up, then, and I'll cut it into eighteen inch-long baits."

"I didn't bring a spade