The broad bottoms of their pedal extremities turned to the river, the line passing between the great and second toes to the water, and there they lay enjoying delicious sleep, waiting for a fish to swallow the bait, when the pull on the line would be felt between their toes and awaken them to attend to business.

Paul took in the situation at a glance.

Quietly drawing near one of the lines he gave it a vicious jerk.
The negro on the other end of it flipped to a sitting posture as though he was worked on a spring like a jumping jack.

When he saw the black figure as he thought, on his line, he let out a shriek that could have been heard for a mile, at the same time springing to his feet and starting on a sprinting pace for some hiding place, yelling, as he ran, to his companion: "Hyah Bill, git away from dar; git up an' cut.

I'se done cotch de debbil on my hook." The other restful fisherman sat up stiffly as if worked on a rusty hinge, and seeing Boyton, was seized with an uncontrollable fit of laughter.