"Yes; he won't lie still and be killed sometimes," said Will laughing.
"Ah! well, perhaps we sha'n't catch any at all."
"Oh, yes! we shall, and gashly big uns too. Hadn't we better leave
young Arthur behind--'tother won't be feared?"
"No; it's too late now," said Will. "Here they are;" for just then the
brothers came along the pier, and after Arthur had stepped in rather a
dignified way down into the boat, Dick leaped in and insisted upon
taking an oar.
The boat was pushed off at once, and while Will and Dick were rowing
Josh had to answer Arthur Temple's questions.
"Are those the lines?" he said, gazing at them curiously.
"Yes, sir; and we've got some oilskin aprons for you to put on, so as
you sha'n't get wet."
"Aprons!" cried Arthur aghast.
"Yes, sir; they be good uns too."
"I shall not put on an apron," 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 Dick, 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?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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