"And I wouldn't blame you, Son," said Old Bob the gardener, "but here we are, hook, line, and sinker, and we will soon find out if Mr. and Mrs. Perch are at home."
As soon as old Maud was hobbled and turned loose to graze, Buddy Jim and Old Bob the gardener launched the old flat-bottomed boat at the landing, and began fishing.
Bob "baited" the hooks, and they both cast off. Old Bob the gardener caught the first fish, a beautiful big perch, and in no time at all Buddy Jim had one also.
It was such good fishing that they soon had all they wanted, and Old Bob the gardener said that they would go ashore now. But Buddy Jim begged so hard for just one more cast that Old Bob said, "all right," and stooped to put the fish in the basket.
A startled exclamation from Buddy Jim made him turn, just in time to catch the little chap as he was going head first out of the boat.
"Here, Son," said the old man as he pulled him back into the boat, "aren't you wet enough yet?"
"O, Bob," panted the little fellow, "I've got a bite—and I think it's a whale—he pulls so—help me land him." So together they pulled him in—about two feet of wiggly, snaky-looking fish!
"What is it, Bob?" asked Buddy Jim. "I don't like him—he isn't pretty!" "It's an eel," said old Bob the gardener, laughing, "do you want to keep him or shall I throw him overboard?"
"'Deed I do want to keep him," said Buddy Jim, proudly, "I want to show him to Mother."