row slowly due south, Will
let the line run over the side.

It was no easy task, and it required co-operation on the part of him at
the oars, for every now and then, in spite of the care with which the
line had been coiled, and the hooks regularly baited and laid in place,
there would be a disposition to kink, and for hooks to catch and go down
tangled with each other. But Josh always had an eye for this, and was
ready to ease the boat's progress, or in a bad case to back water, while
Will's quick clever fingers pounced upon every hitch, shook out the
line, and sent it down fathom after fathom with its hooks and baits
clear to lie upon the bottom.

"Shall I--shall I hinder you if I talk?" said Dick at last, when about
half the line was out.

"Hinder! No," cried Will; "talk away."

"Why didn't you put the line down there where we caught that beautiful--
what was it--pollack?"

"Because the bottom was all rocks, and we should have lost the line.
Besides, it isn't a good place for long-line fish."

"Oh!" said Dick; and he was silent, watching the line go over, and the
baits seem to dart down through the dark clear water and disappear,
while Josh rowed on and on, with his eyes now on the line-basket, now on
the land, his forehead wrinkled, and his countenance as solemn as if
this were the most serious venture of his life.

And what a wonderful sight it was! The waters of that great bay turning
to topaz, and then to ruby, as if the oars were plashing up wine, which
bubbled and foamed as the boat went slowly on, while close down in the
shadow, where Will lowered the line, all was of a dark transparent
slate.

Down went bait after bait, coil after coil of the line, till the uneven
rings in the basket grew fewer--fewer still--then there were only three
or four--two--one.

"Avast!" shouted Josh, throwing in his oars and dropping another little
grapnel anchor overboard, which ran out so much rope. Then a little tub
buoy was passed after it, and Josh held on by the ring, while Will
fastened the line to the rope, dropped it, and as the last bait rested
on the bottom, turned with satisfied face to the visitor.

"There!" he said; "that's done."

"But you did not tell me why you came here to lay the line," said Dick.

"'Cause it's a good place," growled Josh.

"Yes; it's a long even bank of sand, all about the same depth, five or
six fathoms; and the flat-fish lie here a good deal."

"And the trawler can't touch