“Then let’s go there and stop him, Dave,” cried Dick.
“Ay, lad, we will. Round here by the side. Longest way’s sometimes gainest way.”
Dick looked blank upon seeing the boat’s head turned right away from the fish that was caught. Dave saw it, and handed him the pole.
“Give her a few throosts, lad,” he said.
Dick seized the pole and thrust it down into the water lower and lower till his hands touched the surface.
He tried again and again, but there was no bottom within reach, and the lad handed back the pole.
“Why, you knew it was too deep here!” he cried.
“Ay, I knowed, lad,” said Dave, taking the pole; “but yow wouldn’t hev been saddisfied wi’out trying yoursen.”
He proceeded to row the punt now for a few yards, till, apparently knowing by experience where he could find bottom, he thrust down the pole again, gave a few vigorous pushes, and was soon in shallow water.
It was a bit of a race for the river-like opening, but Dave sent the punt along pretty merrily now, while the bladder came slowly along from the other direction till it was only about fifty yards away, when there was a series of bobs and then one big one, the bladder which gleamed whitely on the grey water going down out of sight.