“Who said I was going to catch enough for dinner?” said Nyoda. “I wouldn’t be cruel enough to keep you waiting all that time. But I do want to catch just one for old times’ sake.” She strolled down to the water’s edge and after a few minutes Mr. Landsdowne joined her. He liked Nyoda and enjoyed a talk with her.
“Are you going to play all alone at the picnic?” he asked, as he dropped down beside her.
“Alone, but with unbaited zeal,” she quoted, digging around in the ground with her stick. “Come and help me find a worm.”
“I’m afraid the Early Bird got them all,” she said plaintively, after a few moment’s fruitless search. By dint of much digging they finally unearthed one and baited the hook. Nyoda cast her line and then settled down to a spell of silent waiting. “I don’t believe there’s a fish in this old river,” she said impatiently, after fifteen minutes of angling which brought no results. “Not here, anyway. Let’s go down beyond the bend where the river widens out into that broad pool. The water is deeper and quieter there.” They moved on to the new location and Nyoda tried her luck again. This time success crowned her efforts and she landed a small fish almost immediately. “What did I tell you?” she exclaimed, triumphantly. “There’s luck in changing places. Now for another one.” In a few moments she felt a tug at the line. “It must be a whale,” she cried, enthusiastically, “it pulls so hard.”
“It may be caught on a snag,” said Farmer Landsdowne. “Here, let me get it loose for you, I’m afraid you’ll break that rod,” he said, as the pole bent ominously in her hands.
“Spare the rod and spoil the fish,” said Nyoda.
“What are you doing on my property?” said a harsh voice behind them, “don’t you see that sign?”
Nyoda and Farmer Landsdowne sprang to their feet in surprise and faced an irate farmer in blue shirt sleeves. Sure enough, on a tree not very far from them there was a sign reading,
NO FISHING IN THIS POND.
“We didn’t see the sign,” said Nyoda, stammering in her embarrassment, and crimson to the roots of her hair.