rned the fish over more
carefully, to see that it was much the same shape as an ordinary
mackerel, but broader of body and tail, and less graceful of outline,
while its markings and tints would not compare with those of the
ordinary mackerel, and it was provided, as Dick had found, with some
very keen spines.

"What do you call this?" said Arthur, rather importantly.

"Scad, sir--horse-mackerel," cried Will.

"Are they good to eat?" said Arthur.

Will shook his head.

"They taste strong, and they say they're not wholesome, sir," replied
Will. "Look, they've just caught a bass."

The beautiful silvery fish was passed on by one of the fishermen, and
the brilliant scales and sharp, perch-like fin of this favourite fish
were being examined, when a violent splashing and commotion told of the
presence of something larger in the net.

Whatever it was it escaped for the time; but ten minutes later it was
caught in another net, a large, vigorous-looking fish, which made a bold
effort to escape, but instead of leaping back into the sea fell into the
bottom of one of the boats, where one of the fishermen gave it three or
four vigorous blows with a club before he passed it on to Josh, who
ladled it into his own boat with the net borrowed from Dick.

"Hake, sir," he said to Mr Temple. "Right good fish, sir, cooked
anyhow; and I say as good as cod."

"How came that to be in a mackerel shoal?" said Mr Temple.

"Hungry, sir, _I_ should say," replied Josh. "They generally follows
the herring and pilchards, and snatch 'em as they're coming into the
nets. I s'pose this one wanted a bit o' mackerel for a treat."

"About nine pounds, sir, I should say," said Will. "You'd like to keep
it for dinner?"

"Is it good enough?" said Mr Temple smiling.

"Good enough, sir!" cried Will. "Oh, yes! People don't know what a
good fish hake is, or they'd oftener want it in London. There's another
fish that isn't a mackerel, Master Dick. What should you say that is?"

"Don't know," said Dick, looking at a curious pale-green mottled fish of
two or three pounds weight. It was something like a perch in shape, but
longer and more regular, and unprovided with the sharp back fin.

"Do you know what it is, papa?" asked Arthur.

"No, my boy, I am not learned in these west-country fishes. What is it,
my man?"

"It's a rock-fish, sir, that must have lost its way, for they are not
often caught away from the rock," replied Will. "It's