SOME FINE FISHING
The four boy hunters were soon down at the lake shore preparing their
hooks and lines. Tommy Cabot went along, and while they fished he sat
and watched them.
"This beats being with a circus all hollow," said the young acrobat.
"I always thought circus life was fine," declared Giant.
"It is---on the outside. But on the inside! No more of it for me!"
"Did they pay you much?" questioned Whopper.
"I was supposed to get ten dollars a week, but I didn't. Every
time payday came around they'd deduct something for extras I had
had and things they said I had broken, or torn, or lost, so I
usually got two or three dollars, and that I had to spend on clothing,
shoes---and eating, for the meals weren't heavy at the show.
Then, one night, some scamp stole my suit, and I had to buy these
from one of the workmen. I got 'em cheap, but they aren't much
good," and Tommy smiled grimly as he surveyed the dilapidated
garments.
At fishing the boys were highly successful. Snap caught the first
fish---a good-sized perch---and the doctor's son followed with a
fine pickerel. Then came Whopper with another pickerel. For a
while Giant caught nothing.
"What's the matter, Giant?" queried Snap. "You are usually our
best angler."
"Oh, wait; I haven't begun yet," returned the small youth.
Scarcely had he spoken when he felt a tug and commenced to play a
fish with vigor. That it was a large specimen of the finny tribe
was evident by the way the rod bent and the line snapped and hummed.
"Look out, or you'll lose him!" cried Whopper excitedly.
"Let Giant alone---he knows how to play any fish," said Snap.
"That's what!" added the doctor's son.
The others forgot their lines in watching Giant. Up came the line
for fifty feet, and then out it would rush. But at last he
commenced to reel in steadily, and then, with a swing, he lifted
his catch bodily and allowed it to drop on the grass, where it
flounced and flopped vigorously for a moment.
"A maskalonge!" cried the other boys simultaneously.
"And a big one!" added Whopper.
"Tell you what! It takes Giant to haul in the big fish!" was Snap's
comment. "No little chaps for him!"
The catching of the maskalonge enthused all, and they went to fishing
with renewed vigor. By dinner-time they had eighteen fish to their
credit, a few little ones and some weighing two and three pounds.
"Say, you fellows will have plenty of fish to eat," remarked the
boy from the circus.
"Well, you shall have your share," added Snap quickly. "Which puts
me in mind that it must be near feeding time."
"Shall I get some wood and start up the fire?" asked Tommy.
"If you will."
At once the circus boy started off, and when the others got back
to camp they found a fine blaze going with plenty of wood near by
to keep it up. Tommy was washing the left-over dishes, and had
set a kettle of water to boil.
"He certainly isn't lazy," whispered Snap to Shep. "If we take
him along he'll earn his food."
"Yes, and if he does the camp work that will give us more time to
rest and take pictures," returned the doctor's son.
"Boys, I move we take a swim this afternoon," cried Giant, while
they were sitting around waiting for some fish to cook. "It will
be our last chance before going to the mountains, and the water is
just right."
"Second the motion!" returned Snap.
"So say we all of us!" sang out Whopper. "I've been dying for a
swim for the last ten years!"
"Dying again! Poor boy!" sighed Shep. "Now, if you'll only live-----"
He got no further, for, coming up behind him, Whopper pulled him
over on the grass. As he went rolling he caught his tormentor
by the ankles and down came Whopper. Then over and over rolled
both lads, up against Giant, who joined in the tussle good-naturedly.
"Look out for the fire!" yelled Snap, and as they rolled close
to the flames he tried to force them back. Then down he went
himself, and the mix-up became more strenuous than ever. It was
good, healthy fun, and Tommy Cabot stood by with a broad grin
on his face, enjoying it thoroughly. As they rolled toward the
woods he picked up an armful of leaves and scattered it over the
crowd. The tussle lasted for full five minutes, and then the
various boys sat up almost exhausted.
"Guess you've got an appetite for dinner now," observed the boy
from the circus.
"Appetite!" cried Whopper. "I could eat a house and lot!"
"With the fence and barn thrown in," added Giant.
They washed up a bit and soon had dinner, consisting of baked
maskalonge, pancakes and chocolate. For dessert they had apples.
"Now we'll rest for an hour and then go swimming," said Shep, and
so it was decided. All took a nap, Tommy lying down on the grass
with the faithful Wags beside him.
While fishing the boys had selected a spot for swimming, where the
bottom was sloping and sandy. They went in together, the circus
boy with the others.
"You can swim?" asked Snap.
"Oh, yes. And if I couldn't Wags would take care of me," answered
Tommy. "Just see him tow me!" And getting a stick he called the
collie. Wags took hold of the end and commenced to swim along,
dragging his young master after him.
"Hurrah for Wags!" shouted Whopper. "When I get tired I'll have
him haul me along for a while." Evidently the collie enjoyed the
bath as much as did the boys.
They remained in the water for the best part of an hour, racing,
diving and doing various "stunts." When they came out Snap declared
it was the best swim he had ever had.
"It's a pity we won't be able to swim in the mountains," said Giant.
"Well, we can't expect to have everything," returned the doctor's son.
Having dried off and dressed, the boys returned to camp and spent
the rest of the afternoon in getting ready to move early in the
morning. It was decided to hide the boat in the bushes and leave
a portion of their outfit in the craft, tied down under the tarpaulin.
They would carry with them all the things needed for several days,
so that a second trip would not be necessary until they felt like
taking it.
"I'll carry a share," said Tommy. "I'm feeling stronger than I was."
"We'll give you a small load," answered the doctor's son.
They retired early and were up at sunrise. Tommy renewed the camp
fire, and they had a meal of fish and wheatcakes, with coffee. Then
the tent was taken down and packed along with the other things.
"Now put out the fire and we'll be off," said Shep, and he saw to it
personally that every spark of the blaze was extinguished. As my
old readers know, the boy hunters knew only too well what a forest
fire meant, and they had no desire to start such a conflagration.
Their route now lay over some hills that were more or less strange
to them. But they had received many instructions from Jed Sanborn,
and thought they would have little trouble in gaining a trail back
of the hills that led into the Windy Mountains.
"Are the mountains really windy?" asked Snap as they began the climb
up the hills back of the lake, each with a good-sized load strapped
to his back.
"They are only windy at certain times of the year," answered the
doctor's son. "But when it blows, why, it blows, so Jed Sanborn
said."
"Then we'll have to put our tent up good and strong," came from
Whopper. "We don't want to wake up some night and find ourselves
blown into the middle of next year!"
"And dying to know how we are going to get back," added Giant dryly.
"Giant, if you say dying again---" began Whopper.
"Save your wind, boys!" interrupted Shep. "We've got a long and
hard climb before us."
What the doctor's son said about the climb was true---the way was
a steady pull upward, and they had frequently to stop to get their
breath. It was nearly eleven o'clock when they reached the top of
the hill. They had been on the upgrade for three hours.
"Let us rest until after dinner," said Snap. "No use killing
ourselves."
"We've still got some miles to go," answered Shep.
"I know it---but it will be mostly down grade---at least, until we
reach the foot of the mountains."
It was decided to rest, and all of the young hunters willingly
slipped their loads and sat down. Below them was Firefly Lake, with
Lake Cameron in the distance on one side and Lake Narsac in the
distance on the other. Back of them lay the Windy Mountains, with
a hollow of trees and bushes between. The boys viewed the mountains
with interest, thinking of the outing they hoped to have there.