"Dar's de time!" cried out Uncle Pius, as he saw the line stretch.
"I've got it, and a big one!" yelled Martin in triumph.
"Up here with it," shouted Owen from among the branches overhead.
"Keep the line a-stretchin'!" exclaimed Uncle Pius, "or he's a gonnar."
He had scarcely uttered these words when the fish leaped into the air, shook the hook from its mouth, and disappeared into the water.
"Jes' as I'se sayin'," remarked the old negro. "Now, Massar Martin, you've larned how to ketch perks, and you must larn how to lan' 'em."
"Is there anything to be learned about landing a perch?" inquired Martin, with surprise. "When you catch a catfish there is no danger of its getting off; in fact, you remember that we cut the heads off of several to get out the hooks."
"Dar's an awful 'stonishin' dif'erens 'tween a catfish and a perk," interposed Uncle Pius. "It's hard to keep a perk on, an' it's hard to get a catfish off. If ebbar you let de line slack de perk'll shake de hook from his mouth in free shakes of a sheep's tail."
"Here it goes again," said Martin. "I'll not only catch the first perch that bites, but will land it in a tip-top way."
From his position among the overhanging branches Owen watched Martin's next attempt with interest, while Uncle Pius, conscious of the dignity of his position, gravely directed the movements of his young disciple.