"Well, when you learn to swim you'll like that," replied his father. "But now let's see if we can catch some fish. I told mother I'd try to bring some home, and I guess Muffin is hungry for fish, too. So we'll bait our hooks and see what luck we have."
Mr. Bunker stopped rowing the boat and got his own fishing-rod and line ready. Russ could fix his own, but Laddie needed a little help. Soon the three, sitting in the boat, were waiting for "bites."
All at once there was a little shake and nibble on Laddie's line. He grew excited and was going to pull up, but his father whispered to him:
"Wait just a moment. The fish hasn't taken hold of the hook yet. He is just tasting the bait. If you pull up now you'll scare him away. Wait a little longer."
So Laddie waited, and then, as he felt a sudden tug on his line, he quickly lifted the pole from the water. Up in the air went the dripping line, and on the end of it was a fine fish.
"Laddie has caught the first one," said Mr. Bunker. "Now we'll have to see what we can do, Russ."
"I think I have one now," said Russ in a low voice.
Mr. Bunker looked at his son's pole. The end of it was shaking and bobbing a little, and the line was trembling.
"Yes, you have a bite," said Mr. Bunker. "Pull up, Russ! Pull!"
Russ pulled, as Laddie had done, and he, too, had caught a fine fish.