"Some savages eat snakes," said Bobby, trying to keep one foot on the tail-end of the eel, and unwinding the fishline.
But the next moment the squirmy creature wound itself up in the line again into a harder knot than before.
"Looks just like the worm he swallowed," chuckled Fred. "There! he's got the hook out of his mouth. Fling him back, Bobby!"
Bobby did so, pitching eel and line into the water. There was a flop or two and the wriggling fish got free. Then Bobby hauled in his line and began to rebait the hook.
"I guess I'll try fishing somewhere else," he said. "I won't try here. If there ever was a trout under that stump, he's scared away."
"There never was a trout where an old eel made his nest," scoffed Fred, struggling with his own line.
"That eel didn't belong here," announced Bobby, with confidence. "What do you bet I don't catch a trout to-day?"
"Never mind. I've landed one fish," chuckled Fred.
"Fish! what's it doing roosting in that tree, then!" demanded Bobby, giggling. "It's a bird."
Fred managed to untangle his own line, and in doing so he shook the shiner out of the branches.