"Go it! But we've got nothing to bale with." "Big's shoes," I cried as I caught sight of them hanging from his neck, tied together by their thongs, and each with a knitted worsted stocking plugging up the toes.
Big made not the slightest objection, but laughed as he pulled out his stockings and thrust them into his breeches' pockets.
The next minute he and I were scooping out the water at a tremendous rate, making quite a stream flow down from the upper part under the rock, and it soon became evident that in less than an hour both would be dry.
We worked away till I was tired and gave place to Bob Chowne, Bigley all the while working away and sending out great shoefuls over the lower edge of the rocks.
I sat down to rest, and as I watched where the water fell I suddenly made a dart at something thrown out, but it only proved to be a prickly weaver.
Five minutes later, though, Big threw out a prawn which had come down with the current, and this encouraged him to work harder, but Bob began to be tired, and he showed it by sending a shoeful of water at me, making me shout, "Leave off!" Then he sent one flying over Bigley, who only laughed and worked on for a few moments till Bob was not looking, and then sent a shower back.
Bob jumped out of the hole like a shot and turned upon Bigley angrily: "You just see if I'm going to stop down there and be smothered with water.

Yah! Get out, you ugly old smuggler." As he spoke he flung Bigley's great shoe with a good aim down by his feet, and splashed him completely all over.
Some lads would have jumped out and pursued Bob in a fury, but Bigley only brushed the water out of his eyes and began to laugh as if he rather enjoyed it.
"Come on, Sep," he cried to me; "you and I will finish, and if he comes near we'll give him such a dowsing." I went to his help, and we worked so well that no less than six more prawns came down to our pool, and were scooped out; and at last the upper one was completely emptied, but it was nearly an hour's work.
"Now then, I'll go in," said Bob, and he crept in through the rift between the two pools, and under the overhanging rocks.
"Oh!" he cried as soon as he was in, "what a jolly place! And--ugh! Here's a conger." "No!" we cried together.
"Yes there is, long as my arm, and he's squirming about.

Here, give me a landing-net.

I'll poke him, and make him come out to you chaps." We handed him the net, and he began banging and thrusting at the rock for some time without result.
"Well, isn't he coming ?" I cried.
"No; he gets up in a corner here so that I can only feel his slippery tail with the stick, and he won't come out." "Take hold of it with your hand and pull," said Bigley.
"Oh yes, I daresay.

Just as if I didn't know there's only one place where you can hold on." "Where's that ?" said Bigley.
"With your hand in his mouth.