Dick Cheveley | Page 5

to go, when to my astonishment I found the ship rolling
and pitching; the foam-covered seas tossing and roaring; the officers
shouting and bawling, ordering the men to take in sail. Presently there
came a crash, the masts went by the board, the seas dashed over the
ship, and I found myself tumbling about among the breakers, until it
seemed almost in an instant I was thrown on the beach, where I lay
unable to crawl out of the way of the angry waters, which threatened
every moment to carry me off again. In vain I tried to work my way up
the sands with my arms and legs. Presently down I came, to find myself
sprawling on the floor.
"What can have made all that row?" exclaimed Ned, starting up,
awakened by the noise of my falling out of bed.
"I thought I was shipwrecked," I answered.
"I'm glad you are not," said Ned. "So get into bed again, and if you can
go to sleep, dream of something else."
Feeling somewhat foolish, I did as he advised, but I had first to put my
bed-clothes to rights, for I had dragged them off with me to the floor. It
was no easy matter, although I was assisted by the pale light of early
morning, which came through the chinks of the shutters.

In a short time afterwards Ned again got up to go to his books, for he,
being somewhat delicate, was studying under our father, while I, who
had been sent to school, had just come home for the holidays. I had a
holiday task, but had no intention of troubling myself about it at present.
I was, therefore, somewhat puzzled to know what to do. While I was
dressing, it occurred to me that I would go over to Leighton Park with
my rod, to try the ponds, hoping to return with a basket of fish. I might
go there and get an hour's fishing, and be back again before breakfast. I
tried to persuade Ned to accompany me, but he preferred to stick to his
books.
"Much good may they do you," I answered, rather annoyed. "Why can't
you shut them up for once in a way. It's a beautiful morning, and by
going early we are sure to have plenty of sport, and you can learn your
lessons just as well after breakfast."
"Not if I had been out three or four hours fishing, and came home wet
and dirty; and I want to get my studies over while the day is young, and
the air fresh and pure. I can read twice as well now as I shall be able
after breakfast."
"Well, if you are so unsociable, I must go by myself," I said, getting
down my rod from the wall on which it hung with my fishing-tackle
and basket. Swinging the latter over my shoulder I crept noiselessly out
of the room and down stairs. No one was stirring, so I let myself out by
a back door which led into the garden. Even our old dog "Growler" did
not bark, for he was, I suppose, taking his morning snooze after having
been on the watch all night.
Before setting off I had to get some bait. I found a spade in the
tool-house and proceeded with it to a certain well-known heap in the
corner of the kitchen garden, full of vivacious worms of a ruddy hue,
for which fish of all descriptions had a decided predilection. Even now,
whenever I smell a similar odour to that which emanated from the heap,
the garden and its surroundings are vividly recalled to my mind. I
quickly filled a box, which I kept for the purpose, with wriggling
worms. It had a perforated lid, and contained damp moss.

"I ought to have thought of getting these fellows yesterday and have
given them time to clean themselves," I said to myself. "They'll do,
notwithstanding, although they will not prove as tough as they ought."
Shouldering my rod I made my way out of the garden by a wicket gate,
and proceeded across the fields on which it opened towards Leighton
Park. The grass was wet with dew, the air was pure and fresh, almost
cold; the birds were singing blithely in the trees. A lark sprang up
before me, and rose into the blue air, warbling sweetly to welcome the
rising sun, which he could see long before its rays glanced over the
ground on which I was walking. I could not help also singing and
whistling, the bright air alone being sufficient to raise my spirits. I
hurried away, as I was eager to begin fishing, for I wanted the fish in
the first place, and I knew in the second that Ned would