Part 70 (1/2)

There was a quick bob of the float, and then it began to glide along the top of the water, while, as Bob skilfully checked it, there was a quick rus.h.i.+ng to and fro, two or three minutes' hard fight, and a half-pound trout was drawn alongside, and hoisted into the boat.

”That's the way I doos it,” said Bob, whose success suddenly turned him quite amiable. ”Fish will take a caterpillar sometimes. Give us another!”

The bait was pa.s.sed along to the fisherman, who threw out, and in five minutes was again successful, drawing in, after a short struggle, a nice little chub.

After that, it was as if the disturbance of the water had driven the fish away, and though Bob tried in every direction, using the caterpillar, a worm, a bit of bread paste, and a sc.r.a.p of cheese, he could not get another bite.

Bob tried after that till he was tired, but no fish would bite, so he handed the rod to Dexter, who also fished for some time in vain, when a removal was determined upon; but though they tried place after place there were no more bites, and hunger having a.s.serted itself once more, they landed to prepare their dinner.

The place chosen was very solitary, being where the river ran deeply beneath a high limestone cliff, and landing, a few sticks were soon gathered together ready for a fire.

”But we have no matches,” said Dexter.

”You mean you ain't got none,” sneered Bob, taking a box out of his pocket. ”I'm captain, and captains always thinks of these things. Now then, clean them fish, while I lights this fire. Got a knife, ain't yer!”

Dexter had a knife, and he opened it and proceeded to perform the rather disgusting task, while Bob lay down and began blowing at the fire to get it into a blaze.

That fish-cleaning was very necessary, but somehow it did not add to the charm of the _alfresco_ preparations; and Dexter could not help thinking once how uncomfortable it would be if it came on to rain and put out the fire.

But it did not come on to rain; the wood burned merrily, and after a piece of shaley limestone had been found it was placed in the fire where the embers were most clear, and the fish laid upon it to cook.

The success was not great, for when the fish began to feel the heat, and hissed and sputtered, the piece of stone began to send off splinters, with a loud crack, from time to time. Then a pocket-knife, though useful, is not a convenient cooking implement, especially when, for want of lard or b.u.t.ter, the fish began to stick to the stone, and refused to be turned over without leaving their skins behind.

”Ain't it fun?” said Bob.

Dexter said it was. He did not know why, for at that moment a piece of green wood had sent a jet of hot, steamy smoke in his eyes, which gave him intense pain, and set him rubbing the smarting places in a way which made them worse.

”Here, don't make such a fuss over a bit o' smoke,” said Bob. ”You'll soon get used to that. Mind, that one's tail's burning!”

Dexter did mind, but the fish stuck so close to the stone that its tail was burned off before it could be moved, a mishap which drew from Bob the remark--

”Well, you are a chap!”

Before the fish were done, more and more wood had to be collected; and as a great deal of this was green, a great smoke arose, and, whenever a puff of wind came, this was far from agreeable.

”How small they are getting!” said Dexter, as he watched the browning fish.

_Bang_!

A great piece of the stone splintered off with a report like that of a gun, but, fortunately, neither of the boys was hurt.

”We shall have to buy a frying-pan and a kittle,” said Bob, as soon as examination proved that the fish were safe, but stuck all over splinters of stone, which promised ill for the repast. ”Can't do everything at once.”

”I'm getting very hungry again,” said Dexter; ”and, I say, we haven't got any bread.”

”Well, what o' that?”

”And no salt.”