thur's first thought was to say, "Here, take me back;" but he caught
his brother's eye, and suppressed the words.

"I--I did not know they were so big as that," he faltered, though he
tried to say it with firmness and a show of resolve.

"They run big, sir, off our coast, and we get some gashly fellows,
often," said Josh innocently; "but you see, big as they are, men's
stronger, and boys too. Why, our Will would tackle any conger as ever
swam about a rock. Takes hold of disgorger like this, you know, and
gives one on the head, and that quiets 'em while we get the hook out."

"With--with the disgorger?" said Arthur.

"That's it, Master Taff," said Josh.

"My name is Arthur--Arthur Temple," said the boy haughtily.

"'Course it is, sir; I ought to have known," said Josh. "It was along
of Master Dick, there, calling you by t'other name. As I was saying,"
he continued hastily, "Will there gives them a tap with the disgorger,
and then holds them under his boot, runs this here down till it touches
the hook where they've swallowed it, takes a turn or two of the line
round the handle and twists the hook out."

"Why don't you take the hook out properly--the same as I should from a
fish?"

"What--with your fingers, sir?"

"Of course."

"A mussy me!" said Josh. "Why, don't you know how a conger can bite?"

"Bite! No," said Arthur, turning pale. "Can they bite?"

"Bite!" cried Josh. "Why, love your heart, young gentleman, look ye
here. See this?"

He held up one of the hooks at the end of the conger-line and showed the
boy that not only was it very large, and tied on strong cord with a
swivel or two, but it was bound from the shank some distance up the line
with brass wire.

"Yes, I can see it," said Arthur, "of course. Isn't it too big? A fish
would not take a great awkward thing like that in its mouth."

"Won't it?" said Josh laughing. "But it will if you put a pilchar' on
it. That there wire as is run round the line is to keep the congers
from biting it in two."

"Oh! but, Josh, a conger wouldn't bite through a line like that, would
he?" cried Dick as he tugged at his oar.

"Just as easy, sir, as you would through a bit o' cotton after you'd
sewed a button on your shirt."

"Why, they must be regular nippers!" cried Dick.

"Nippers, sir? Why, they go at a big dead fish if it's lying in the
water, take a good mouthful, and then set their long bodies and tails to
work, and spin round and round l