Perhaps he dreamed day dreams as he watched the fleecy clouds sailing
past, each an argosy of boyish hopes; perhaps he saw in imagination a
delightful future when he and his mother would be placed beyond
anxieties, and surrounded by all that could go to make up happiness in
this material world.
Now and then he would arouse himself and examine his lines to see
whether the bait were properly adjusted so as to present a tempting
display to the bass; and occasionally he would pull in a capture, though
they seemed to run in small comparison with the first prize.
Unless business picked up during the afternoon he rather guessed he
would have to be satisfied with only a mess for the morrow's dinner.
"I'll get after the rascals bright and early to-morrow morning. No use
talking, just after daylight at this time of year is the time to haul in
these fellows. But I'm going to stick it out if it takes all day."
So saying he began to look around to discover if there was any other
kind of bait he could offer the big fellows he knew were loitering
around deep down in that dark water.
He had brought along a piece of mosquito netting to use as a little
seine, by means of which he could possibly pick up a few minnows in a
certain shallow they liked to frequent.
This he had done on the preceding season, and the change of diet had
tempted the bass to take hold with gratifying results.
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