That's the way." The lines were drawn, and the weight of the great bag of meshes proved that after all a good fair haul had been made, the net being drawn close to the boat and the bag seeming to shrink in size till there was a mass of struggling, splashing fish alongside, apparently enough to far more than fill a bushel basket.
"What are you going to do ?" asked Mr Marston, who was as excited now as the boys, while Dave worked away stolidly, as if it was all one of the most commonplace matters for him.
"Haul the net into the boat," cried Tom.
"Nay, my net would break," said Dave.

"There's a lot of owd rushes and roots, and rotten weeds in it." "I don't believe there are, Dave," said Dick.

"It's all solid fish." "Nay, lad, but net'll break.

Let's hev out some of the big uns first." "Look! there's a fine one," cried Dick, making a dash at a large fish which rose out of the writhing mass, but it glided through his hands.
"Howd hard!" said Dave.

"You lads go th'other side o' the punt or we shall capsize.