fish, and the boys were
obliged to haul them both ashore together.

"Splendid!" exclaimed Bobby, as they unhooked two fine trout and laid
them on a place of safety; "At 'em again!"

At them they went, and soon had two more fish, but the disturbance
created by these had the effect of frightening the others. At all
events, at their third effort their patience was severely tried, for
nothing came to their hooks to reward the intense gaze and the nervous
readiness to act which marked each boy during the next half-hour or so.

At the end of that time there came a change in their favour, for little
Martha Mild appeared on the scene. She had been sent, she said, to work
with them.

"To play with us, you mean," suggested Tim.

"No, father said work," the child returned simply.

"It's jolly work, then! But I say, old 'ooman, d'you call Mr Merryboy
father?" asked Bob in surprise.

"Yes, I've called him father ever since I came."

"An' who's your real father?"

"I have none. Never had one."

"An' your mother?"

"Never had a mother either."

"Well, you air a curiosity."

"Hallo! Bob, don't forget your purliteness," said Tim. "Come, Mumpy;
father calls you Mumpy, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"Then so will I. Well, Mumpy, as I was goin' to say, you may come an'
_work_ with my rod if you like, an' we'll make a game of it. We'll play
at work. Let me see where shall we be?"

"In the garden of Eden," suggested Bob.

"The very thing," said Tim; "I'll be Adam an' you'll be Eve, Mumpy."

"Very well," said Martha with ready assent.

She would have assented quite as readily to have personated Jezebel or
the Witch of Endor.

"And I'll be Cain," said Bobby, moving his line in a manner that was
meant to be persuasive.

"Oh!" said Martha, with much diffidence, "Cain was wicked, wasn't he?"

"Well, my dear Eve," said Tim, "Bobby Frog is wicked enough for
half-a-dozen Cains. In fact, you can't cane him enough to pay him off
for all his wickedness."

"Bah! go to bed," said Cain, still intent on his line, which seemed to
quiver as if with a nibble.

As for Eve, being as innocent of pun-appreciation as her great original
probably was, she looked at the two boys in pleased gravity.

"Hi! Cain's got another bite," cried Adam, while Eve went into a state
of gentle excitement, and fluttered near with an evidently strong desire
to help in some way.

"Hallo! got 'im again!" shouted Tim, as his rod bent to the water wit