“Pull it out, quick!” commanded Tom.
Thereupon Zu-zu gave a tremendous jerk, twitching high into the air an astonished perch, which fell back with a splash. The empty hook landed among the bushes far behind.
“Oh, dear! It got away!” complained Zu-zu.
“You mustn’t jerk so hard, Zu-zu,” advised Ned. “Watch how we do it.”
At that instant his bobber, too, wavered, and ducked, and he cleverly lifted to land a fat yellow perch.
“I’ve got one, too!” exclaimed Tom.
“Hurrah!” laughed Ned, joyfully. “They’re biting fine, aren’t they?”
“Poor things—just see how they flop,” said Zu-zu, watching Ned string his spoil. “Do you suppose it hurts them so very much?”
“I don’t believe fish feel as much as we do, or they wouldn’t have been made to be caught,” replied Ned.
“Well, please don’t handle them any rougher than you can help,” begged Zu-zu; and plunged in thought, she freed her line from the bushes, and dropped it in the water again.