“Hold on tight, Fishy,” said David, as he tugged away at the fish-pole.
I don’t think the fish would have minded what he said, if he could have helped himself. But the pickerel was well hooked, and could not get away. The pole bent as David pulled, and he was afraid it would break. He was very careful, and after a deal of tugging he pulled the fish out of the water, and landed him on the grass.
It was a nice large pickerel, and David felt like a great man then, for he had caught a big fish. He put him in the basket, and put some grass over him. Then he tried again, but could get no more pickerel; so he put a worm on the hook for bait, and pretty soon he caught perch and shiners enough for dinner the next day.
While he sat on the rock, David kept thinking of something. He wanted to earn some money for his mother; and this was what he was thinking about. He had now formed a plan by which he hoped to do it. After winding up his line, he took the basket of fish on his arm, and started for home.
Just before he came to the house, he took the pickerel out of the basket, and hid it in the grass, for he did not want his mother to see this fish. Then he carried the basket into the house, and asked his mother if he might stay out a little while longer. She said he might; and he ran back to the place where he had put the pickerel.
Putting the fish into another basket he had brought, he laid some fresh grass upon it, and walked up to the village. He stopped before a large, fine house, with a grove and a nice garden before it. He did not feel so brave then as before, and he paused for some time before he dared to enter the garden.
At last he pushed the gate open, and went in. As he was walking up to the house, a great dog ran out at him, and barked as though he meant to tear him in pieces. David was afraid of the big dog, but he did not like to go away without seeing Mr. Lee, who lived in the fine house.
“Be still, Watch,” said the sweet voice of a little girl; “what do you make all that noise for?”
In a moment, David saw the little girl running towards him. She was not more than eight years old, and had such pretty curls that David thought she must be an angel. She went up to the big dog, and with her little hand struck him on the head, and told him again to be still.
“You are naughty, Watch, to bark at a little boy, and if you don’t hold your tongue, you shall have no supper. Go, lie down!”