“Has any one been down to the river?”
“Oh yes; me and Tom Gardener went down as soon as it was daylight; and they’ve been having a fine game.”
“Game?”
“Ay, that they have, Master Nic,” said the man, laughing. “There’s no water coming over the fall, and the pool was full of fish.”
“Well, I know that, Bill,” cried Nic impatiently; “but you don’t mean to say that—”
“Yes, I do,” said the man, grinning. “They’ve cleared it.”
“And you laugh, sir!”
“Well, ’taren’t nowt to cry about, Master Nic. On’y a few fish.”
“And you know how particular my father is about the salmon.”
“Oh, ay. Of course I know; but he eats more of ’em than’s good for him now. ’Sides, they left three on the side. Slipped out o’ their baskets, I suppose.”