"Oh! that's nothing to what we'll do yet. If the day should become a little more overcast, we'd have splendid sport, sir."
"Well, I could not have believed, if I hadn't seen it," said Furlong.
"Oh! you'll see more than that, my boy, before we've done with them."
"Nor I either," said Dick; "you're not worse off than I am."
"But how extwao'dinawy it is that I have not seen a fish wise since I have been on the wiver."
"That's because they see us watching them," said Dick. "The d----l such cunning brutes I ever met with as the fish in this river: now, if you were at a distance from the bank, you'd see them jumping as lively as grasshoppers. Whisht! I think I had a nibble."
"You don't seem to have good sport there," shouted Murphy.
"Vewy poo' indeed," said Furlong, dolefully.
"Play your line a little," said Murphy; "keep the bait lively--you're not up to the way of fascinating them yet."
"'Faith!" said Murphy to himself, "it's new to all of us. It's a bran new invention in the fishing line. Billy," said he to the _gossoon_, who was in the boat with him, "we must catch a salmon again to _divart_ that strange gentleman--hook him on, my buck."
"Yes, sir," said Billy, with delighted eagerness, for the boy entered into the fun of the thing heart and soul, and as he hooked on the salmon for a second haul, he interlarded his labours with such ejaculations as, "Oh, Misther Murphy, sir, but you're the funny jintleman. Oh, Misther Murphy, sir, how soft the stranger is, sir. The salmon's ready for ketchin' now, sir. Will you ketch him yet, sir?"
The young imp executed the manoeuvre with adroitness; and Murphy was preparing for another haul, as Furlong's weariness began to manifest itself.
"Do you intend wemaining here all day? Do you know, I think I've no chance of any spo't."
"Oh, wait till you hook _one_ fish, at all events," said Murphy; "just have it to say you killed a salmon in the new style. The day is promising better. I'm sure we'll have sport yet. Hilloa! I've another!" and Murphy began hauling in the salmon. "Billy, you rascal, get ready; watch him--that's it--mind him now!" Billy put out his gaff to seize the prize, and, making a grand swoop, affected to miss the fish. "Gaff him, you thief, gaff him!" shouted Murphy, "gaff him, or he'll be off."