afternoon for fishing, cloudy and soft. I'll see about
bait if you will promise to come. Buttar and Bouldon say they will, and
so will Gregson; so we shall be a jolly party, and shall gain something
even if we don't catch fish." Ernest, who always appeared to have more
spare time than any one else, consented to go, provided he had
half-an-hour's reading after dinner, to get up some work. Ellis had
learned to be almost as eager as his friend in anything he was about.
He now hurried off to send Jim, a lame boy, who was allowed to go on
errands for the young gentlemen, to prepare the baits for the
fishing-party. They all assembled at the appointed hour, with capital
rods in hand, with the exception of Gregson, who declared that he always
made his own rods, and that his, though uncouth in appearance, would
catch as many fish as all the rest put together. The young fishermen
had very little excuse for not catching fish. There was a large pond,
about two miles off, with a clear full stream running into it. In the
stream were trout, grayling, roach, and dace, and the pond was full of
fine carp, and tench, and perch, while occasionally the other fish from
the stream condescended to swim into it. The fishing belonged to a
gentleman in the neighbourhood, who took a great interest in the Doctor
and his school, and always allowed a dozen boys at a time to fish there.
They had to go to the Doctor or one of the masters for leave, and as
seldom more than a dozen wished to go at a time, it was not often that
any were disappointed. Off they set, with their fishing-rods over their
shoulders, singing away as merrily as crickets. There were one or two
ponds and streams in the way, where they proposed to try their fortune
for a few minutes, as it was reported that sometimes very fine fish were
caught in them. The first they came to was a quiet dark pond, shaded by
trees. Gregson declared that he thought it must be full of fish, and he
was considered an authority on such matters. Ellis, who knew also a
good deal about fishing, rather doubted that such was the case.

"Come and try," said Gregson; "there is no great harm in doing that, at
all events." Gregson prevailed, and no one perceived a quiet chuckle in
the tone of his voice. He persuaded them all to fish with very small
hooks and red worms, which he gave them. They had not fished long
before Bouldon exclaimed, "I've a bite, I've a bite!" His float began
to bob; down it