“She won’t hurt you,” said Josh, “unless you put your finger in her mouth. She can bite, but not like the big ones.”
“But is this a conger?” said Dick, watching the slimy creature as it sought for a hiding-place, and strove to get under the grating in the bottom of the boat.
“Conger! To be sure it is,” said Will.
“But I thought congers were very big.”
“They grow big, of course,” said Will smiling.
“But this may be only a large eel. They do go in the sea, you know.”
“Oh, yes! I know they do; but river eels don’t have eyes like this. Look at them,” he said, pointing to the creature’s huge eyes. “Sea fish nearly all have very large eyes, so as to see deep down at the bottom. Here’s something better. Now try and gaff this.”
“Why, it’s another skate,” cried Dick, determined this time not to give up the hook; and as the large round white fish came up fighting hard against capture he made a dash at it and hooked it firmly, drawing it over the side, to lie flapping in the bottom of the boat.
“That’s better,” cried Will.
“Cheerily ho, my lad; well done,” cried Josh. “That’s the way to gawf ’em.”