Page 231 - The snake's pass

BOG-FISHING AND SCHOOLING. 219 "
was simply a dead weight, and in my own mind I was
convinced that we had caught a piece of projecting
rock. Murdock would have got unlimited assistance
and torn out of the bog whatever it was that we had
got hold of, even if he had to tear up the rocks by the
roots ; but Dick kept his head, and directed a long
steady pull.
There was a sudden yielding, and then again resist-
ance. We continued to pull, and then the rope began
to come, but very slowly, and there was a heavy weight
attached to it. Even Dick was excited now. Murdock
shut his teeth, and scowled like a demon; it would
have gone hard with anyone who came then between
him and his prize. As for myself, I was in a tumult.
In addition to the natural excitement of the time, there
:—
rose to my memory Joyce's words " When the trea-
sure is found you may claim her if you will;"—and,
although the need for such an occasion passed away
with his more free consent, the effect that they had at
the time produced on me remained in my mind.
Here, then, was the treasure at last; its hiding for
a century in the bog had come to an end.
We pulled and pulled. Heavens! how we tugged
at that rope. Foot after foot it came up through
our hands, wet and slimy, and almost impossible to
hold. Now and again it slipped from each of us in
turns a few inches, and a muttered " steady ! steady !
was all the sound heard. It took all three of us to
hold the weight, and so no one could be spared to