In Midsummer Days and Other Tales

ample of the malice and cunning of the world . ... Watch him! He is holding a whip in his hand; he throws out the whip-lash--there it is! attached to it is a weight which makes it sink--there's the weight! and below the weight is the hook with the worm. Don't take it in your mouth, whatever you do, for if you do, you are caught. As a rule only the silly bass and red-eyes take the bait. There! Now you know all about it."

The forest of seaweed with its shells and snails began to rock; a plashing and drumming could be heard and a huge red whale passed like a flash over their heads; he had a tail-fin like a cork-screw, and that was what he worked with.

"That's a steamer," said the eel-mother; "make room!"

She had hardly spoken these words when a furious uproar arose above. There was a tramping and stamping as if the people overhead were intent on building a bridge between the shore and the boat in two seconds. But it was difficult to see anything on account of the oil and soot which were maki