Well , I 'm getting so 's I do n't mind it . But there are folks who do . '' Mr. Meredith had not seen them , but he was not walking along in his usual dreamy and abstracted fashion . He strode up the hill in agitation and distress . Mrs. Alec Davis had just told him the story of Carl and the eel . She had been very indignant about it . Old Mrs. Carr was her third cousin . Mr. Meredith was more than indignant . He was hurt and shocked . He had not thought Carl would do anything like this . He was not inclined to be hard on pranks of heedlessness or forgetfulness , but THIS was different . THIS had a nasty tang in it . When he reached home he found Carl on the lawn , patiently studying the habits and customs of a colony of wasps . Calling him into the study Mr. Meredith confronted him , with a sterner face than any of his children had ever seen before , and asked him if the story were true . `` Yes , '' said Carl , flushing , but meeting his father 's eyes bravely . Mr. Meredith groaned . He had hoped that there had been at least exaggeration . `` Tell me the whole matter , '' he said . `` The boys were fishing for eels over the bridge , '' said Carl . `` Link Drew had caught a whopper -- I mean an awful big one -- the biggest eel I ever saw .
He caught it right at the start and it had been lying XXXXX his basket a long time , still as still .
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