"You can find rocks all round us," he said, "on which you could have pitched the killick, and they all go straight down like the side of house or like that there Mew Rock where the birds are."

There was something awe-inspiring in the place, for the boat was in the shadow of the Mew Rock, behind which lay the sun, hastening to his rest, his ruddy beams streaming now on either side of what looked like a rugged black tower standing against a blazing sky, and for the moment even d.i.c.k felt oppressed by the solemnity and beauty of the scene.

Away across the head of the bay lay the fishing village from which they had come, with its lattice-windows glittering and flashing in the sunshine, which gilded the luggers that were slowly stealing out to the fishing-ground miles away. Some of them were urged forward by long oars so as to get them beyond the shelter of the land, and into the range of the soft breeze that was rippling the bay far out, though where the fishing party lay the heaving sea, save where it broke upon the rocks, was as smooth as gla.s.s.

"Now, young gentlemen," said Josh quietly, "congers is queer customers; sometimes they'll bite."

Arthur shivered.

"Sometimes they won't. I think to-night we shall ketch some."

"Two lines out, eh, Josh?" said Will.

"Ay, two's enough," replied the fisherman; "let the young gents ketch 'em, and we'll do the gawfing and unhooking. You 'tend Master d.i.c.kard there; I'll 'tend Master Taffarthur, and let's see who'll get first fish. Starboard's our side, port's yourn."

As he spoke he nodded knowingly to Arthur and took out his knife, seized a pilchard, cut off its head, and split the fish partly up towards the tail and extracted the backbone, so that it was in two flaps. Then taking the large hook, he pa.s.sed it in at the tail, drew the pilchard carefully up the shank, and then held up the hook for Arthur to see, with the broad flaps hanging down on either side of the curve and barbed point.

"There," he said, "Mr Conger Eel, Esquire, won't notice that there's a hook in that nice tasty bit of pilchar'. He'll take it for his supper, and to-morrow he'll make conger pie. Now, are you ready?"

"Yes," cried Arthur, making an effort to master his dread.

"Right, then," cried Josh; "lift the lead there over the side, and I'll drop in the bait, and we shall have no tangle."

Arthur lifted a heavy piece of lead of the shape of a long egg cut down through its long diameter and attached by wire rings to the line, and lowered it over the side, Josh dropping in the silvery bait of pilchard at the same moment, and as the lead sank the bait seemed to dart down as if alive, disappearing in the dark clear water as the line ran rapidly over the side.

"Let your line run, lad; there's good seven fathom o' water just here.

That's the way," said Josh. "Now she's at the bottom."

_Plash, plash_! came from the other side of the boat, and d.i.c.k shouted, "Hooray, Taff! here goes for first fish."

"Never you mind him," said Josh to Arthur. "Now, then, hold hard; haul up a fathom o' line--that's the way: now your bait's just by the bottom, and you'll know when you've got a bite."

Arthur obeyed, and sat in the boat holding the line with both hands as rigid as a wax image, and gazing hopelessly at the rough fisherman, whose one short arm seemed horribly clever and deft, but he fancied it would be awkward if he had to deal with a large eel.

"Hadn't you better get the chopper ready?" said Arthur hoa.r.s.ely.

"Oh, that's all ready," said Josh laughing; "but you ain't had a touch yet."

"N-no--I'm not sure," said Arthur; "something seemed heavy at the end of the line."

"Four pound o' lead, my lad, is heavy," said Josh, smiling. "You'll know when you get a conger."

"Hadn't--hadn't we better fish for something else, as the congers don't bite?"

"How do you know as they don't bite?" said Josh good-humouredly.

"They--they don't seem to," said Arthur. "Perhaps the bait's off. Had we better see?"

"Oh, no; that bait isn't off," said Josh quietly. "You bide a bit, my lad. Congers don't care about light when they're feeding. You'll see when the sun's well down."

"But I'd rather fish for mackerel, I think," said Arthur as he gazed down into the dark water, and seemed to see twining monsters coming up to pluck him out of the boat.

"Couldn't ketch mack'rel here, my lad. This is a conger hole. Reg'lar home for 'em among these rocks. Will and me found 'em out: n.o.body else comes and fishes here. We found this hole."

"Ahoy! here's a game. Oh, don't he pull! Oh, my hands!" cried d.i.c.k.

"Let me take him," said Will.

"No, no, I'll catch him!" cried d.i.c.k excitedly. "I've got such a big one, Taff; he's trying to pull my arms out of the sockets!"

Tug--pull--jerk--drag--the line was running here and there; and if d.i.c.k had not twisted it round his hands it would have been drawn through them. As it was, it cut into them, but he held on like a hero.

"Let the line go!" Will kept saying--"let the line go!" but d.i.c.k did not seem to understand. If he did, he was not disposed to let it run, and, as he thought, lose the fish; and so he dragged and hauled hand over hand, with Arthur shivering and ready, but for sheer shame, to get right away in the bows, as the struggle went on.

"Here he is!" cried d.i.c.k at last. "Oh, what a monster! and how he pulls!"

Arthur did not turn his head, and so he saw nothing of what followed, for he felt sick with dread; but there was a scuffling and a splashing, then a beating and flapping in the boat.

"Keep him clear of the line, Will, lad!" said Josh.

"Right!" was the laconic reply; and then there were two or three heavy dull blows, as if some one were striking something soft. And now Arthur turned round to see that Will had the great head of an eel between his knees, out of which he cleverly twisted the hook, and held the slowly writhing creature up at arm's-length.

"Oh, what a monster!" cried d.i.c.k.

"Only a little one," said Will, laughing. "It is not above fifteen or sixteen pounds."

"Why, how big do they grow, then?" cried d.i.c.k, as the eel was thrown into the locker and the lid shut down.

"I've seen them ninety pounds!" said Will. "Josh, there, saw one a hundred. Didn't you, Josh?"

"Hundred and three pounds and an half!" said Josh. "We shall have some sport to-night!"

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

ARTHUR CATCHES HIS FIRST CONGER, AND TAKES A LESSON IN SOMETHING ELSE.

"Oh!" shouted Arthur; "oh! something's pulling me out of the--"

Boat he would have said, for he had turned the line round his right-hand to keep the lead from the bottom; and all at once it had seemed to him that there was a slight quiver of the line; then it was drawn softly a little way, and then there was a heavy sustained pull that took his arm over the side, and he seemed as if he were about to follow it, only Josh leaned towards him, and took hold of the line beyond his hand.

"Untwist it, my lad; don't turn it round your fingers like that. That's right. Now, take hold with both hands."

"But I can't hold it!" cried Arthur, who was shivering with excitement.

"Oh, yes! you can, my lad," said Josh coolly. "I'll show you. Now, hold tight."