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The explosion sent a great vomit of water surging upwards. The canoe rocked as the wakes came rushing, and jeweled droplets of steam fogged the morning air.

Whewboy! shouted Dan. You see that? Ain’t that a sight, by God?

Course I seen it, said Silas. Hard thing to miss, giant explosion like that.

I knowse it. Wanna get an eyeful of that bounty?

I reckon, said Silas.

The oarblades ran wet with drossy rivulets of swampwater and algae. Dan counted under his breath as he rowed and Silas gritted his teeth and cursed each time the water struck his face. Idjit, he’d mutter as they moved in slow shiprock across the swamp.

The silver of fishscales speckled the mossy water. With a cheek bowed outward by his tongue Dan leant over the coaming and started to scoop the dynamite-doomed fish off the surface.

Careful now, said Silas. Like to capsize us with that clumsiness. No hurry now, fish ain’t going nowhere.