THE STRANGE PASSENGER.

Robert, though not a professional fisherman, was not wholly
inexperienced. This morning he was quite lucky, catching quite a fine
lot of fish--as much, indeed, as his mother and himself would require a
week to dispose of. However, he did not intend to carry them all home.
It occurred to him that he could sell them at a market store in the
village. Otherwise, he would not have cared to go on destroying life for
no useful end.

Accordingly, on reaching the shore, he strung the fish and walked
homeward, by way of the market. It was rather a heavy tug, for the fish
he had caught weighed at least fifty pounds.

Stepping into the store, he attracted the attention of the proprietor.

"That's a fine lot of fish you have there, Robert. What are you going to
do with them?"

"I'm going to sell most of them to you, if I can."

"Are they just out of the water?"

"Yes; I have just brought them in."

"What do you want for them?"

"I don't know what is a fair price?"

"I'll give you two cents a pound for as many as you want to sell."