“I mean to have it, and the boat too,” said Mr. Inspector, playing the line.

But still the luck resisted; wouldn’t come.

“Take care,” said Riderhood. “You’ll disfigure. Or pull asunder perhaps.”

“I am not going to do either, not even to your Grandmother,” said Mr. Inspector; “but I mean to have it. Come!” he added, at once persuasively and with authority to the hidden object in the water, as he played the line again; “it’s no good this sort of game, you know. You must come up. I mean to have you.”

There was so much virtue in this distinctly and decidedly meaning to have it, that it yielded a little, even while the line was played.