Part 11 (1/2)

The other girls gave Tommy a wide berth as she cast her hook, then came to her side and waited for the expected catch. She had not put on a float, declaring that any fish worth catching would soon make itself felt. But as she drew the line towards her she had no sense of weight or resistance; the hook came up with the bait untouched.

”They don't fancy it, apparently,” said Tommy. ”I'll have another try.

Look out!” Again she cast the line, and again drew it in.

”I declare, the little wretches are nibbling the bait off under our very noses,” she cried, as the hook pa.s.sed through the clear water of the pool. ”How disgusting!”

”Poor little things! why shouldn't they enjoy themselves?” said Mary.

”Oh! if you're going to talk like that, I've done,” said Tommy, flinging down the rod impatiently.

Elizabeth picked it up.

”Let me try,” she said.

She baited the hook again, but had no more success than her sister.

”It is exasperating,” she said. ”I'm surprised the fish here are so clever.”

”You'd better have tried a bent pin as I suggested,” said Mary. ”You'd have caught some of those little chaps swarming there. The safety-pin is too big for them.”

”Who wants little skinny things?” said Tommy. ”I'd like a haddock or a cod. Let me try again, Bess.”

Once more the hook was baited and let down. Again it was surrounded by a swarm of eager nibblers, and Tommy was on the point of drawing it back in disgust when suddenly the crowd of little fish parted and scattered in all directions, darting off like streaks of light. The girls held their breath as they saw a ”whopper,” as Tommy called it, come slowly towards the bait. It seemed to smell at it, moving round with flicks of its tail. Then it opened its mouth--and Tommy felt a tug on the line.

”Got him!” she cried triumphantly. ”A monster, too.”

The other girls watched her as she drew it in. She wasted no time in playing it, but simply hauled it up towards the rock. Bess stooped, and while Mary held her to prevent her from stumbling into the sea, she slipped her hands underneath the fish and jerked it out of the water.

”He's not such a monster after all,” said Mary. ”How deceptive the water is!”

The fish, indeed, was no bigger than a good-sized haddock.

”It is big enough to make us a good supper,” said Elizabeth, ”and I don't think we should try to catch any more now. They won't keep in this climate. Tommy can catch some every day if she likes.”

”All right,” said Tommy. ”But, I say, I can't wait till supper-time.

The look of the fish gives me an appet.i.te. I vote we have it for tea.

You're cook, Bess. I'll finish your mat while you're getting the fish ready.”

This was agreed upon, and they returned to the camp. The two younger girls resumed the weaving, while Elizabeth, using a flat stone as a kitchen table, set about cleaning the fish in a very housewifely manner.

All at once Mary dropped her hands and cried ”Oh!”

”What's the matter?” asked Tommy.

”Suppose the fish is poisonous! Some are, you know.”

”Goodness, yes! What can we do? We haven't a taster, like some old kings I've read about.”

”Don't worry,” said Elizabeth tranquilly. ”We must have a change of food, and there's bound to be a little risk in trying new things.