three in the morning
The cleverest of them had their own fishing-tackle and little flat-bottomed prams , that they had built themselves and caulked with oakum . They fished on their own account and caught pike , eels , and tench , which they sold to the wealthier people in the district . Pelle thought he knew the stream thoroughly , but now he was brought to see it from a new side . Here were boys who in March and April -- in the holidays -- were up at three in the morning , wading barefoot at the mouth of the stream to catch the pike and perch that went up into the fresh water to spawn . And nobody told the boys to do it ; they did it because they liked it ! They had strange pleasures ! Now they were standing `` before the sea '' -- in a long , jubilant row .