novice," piped up Clown.

"See? When the line touches the bottom, you just manage it with your
finger on the edge. If a fish bites, you could tell in a minute. There
it goes," and Red Shirt hastily started taking out the line. I wondered
what he had got, but I saw no fish, only the bait was gone. Ha, good for
you, Gov'nur!

"Wasn't it too bad! I'm sure it was a big one. If you miss that way,
with your ability, we would have to keep a sharper watch to-day. But,
say, even if we miss the fish, it's far better than staring at a float,
isn't it? Just like saying he can't ride a bike without a brake." Clown
has been getting rather gay, and I was almost tempted to swat him. I'm
just as good as they are. The sea isn't leased by Red Shirt, and there
might be one obliging bonito which might get caught by my line. I
dropped my line then, and toyed it with my finger carelessly.

After a while something shook my line with successive jerks. I thought
it must be a fish. Unless it was something living, it would not give
that tremulous shaking. Good! I have it, and I commenced drawing in the
line, while Clown jibed me "What? Caught one already? Very remarkable,
indeed!" I had drawn in nearly all the line, leaving only about five
feet in the water. I peeped over and saw a fish that looked like a gold
fish with stripes was coming up swimming to right and left. It was
interesting. On taking it out of the water, it wriggled and jumped, and
covered my face with water. After some effort, I had it and tried to
detach the hook, but it would not come out easily. My hands became
greasy and the sense was anything but pleasing. I was irritated; I swung
the line and banged the fish against the bottom of the boat. It speedily
died. Red Shirt and Clown watched me with surprise. I washed my hands in