Part 48 (1/2)

”Are those the lines?” he said, gazing at them curiously.

”Yes, sir; and we've got some oilskin ap.r.o.ns for you to put on, so as you sha'n't get wet.”

”Ap.r.o.ns!” cried Arthur aghast.

”Yes, sir; they be good uns too.”

”I shall not put on an ap.r.o.n,” was upon Arthur's lips, but he did not say it; and just then his attention was taken by a short thick truncheon, with a curious notch or fork at the handle end.

”What's that for?”

”Little end's disgorger,” said Josh; ”t'other's to knock the congers down with.”

”To knock the congers down!” cried Arthur aghast.

”Yes, when we get hold of a big one. They're gashly strong, sir.”

”Why, how big are they?” cried Arthur.

”Five foot, six foot, seven foot sometimes,” said Josh coolly.

Arthur'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 d.i.c.k, 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 bra.s.s wire.