One day Bob's father took Paul and Bob out fishing. They carried their
bait in a tin can and they took a larger can to hold their fish. They
stood on a high rock and threw their lines out into the deep water. The
fish bit very well. Mr. Johnson caught five or six. But the boys were
so excited they could not wait. They drew up their lines too soon. Once
Paul felt a pull and waited. When he felt another pull he drew in his
line. On it was a very tiny fish. "It's too small to keep," said Mr.
Johnson. So he took it carefully off the hook and threw it back into the
water.

In a little while Bob felt a pull on his line. He held it very still and
waited. Soon there was another pull--a very strong one. Then there came
a jerk that almost threw him down. "Now draw in your line," said Mr.
Johnson. "Steady, steady!" Bob pulled. His line almost broke. He pulled
and tugged and pulled again. Then up came the line and on it was a fish
--a big, beautiful fish flapping and twisting. "Good, good," cried Mr.
Johnson. "That's a prize catch."

How proud Bob felt as he landed his fish. He wouldn't let his father
help take it off the hook. He did it all himself. For a moment he stood
with the beautiful prize fish in his hand. Some people were fishing
near-by and he wanted them to see. He wanted them to know of his prize
catch. He felt very proud. "Look," said one of them; "what a great big
fish!" Bob heard and felt prouder than ever. He threw his fish into the
can as if he were saying, "Oh, that's nothing, I _always_ catch the
biggest fish." Then he began to bait his hook again.

Just then Paul cried out, "Oh, Oh, Oh!" quickly. Bob turned just in time
to see his prize fish flop out of the can and back into the sea.