CHAPTER XXIIFLY FISHING FOR BASSThey were certainly a tired lot, all right.For once, at least, the rising sun caught the three boys fast asleep. Indeed, it was fully two hours afterward before any one came creeping out of the tent. Then it turned out to be Amos, wishing to build a fire so they could get a pot of coffee and some bacon ready for breakfast.No one seemed anxious to stir far that morning.“And it isn’t that we need fear meeting up with those two hard cases, either,” said Teddy, when the subject was laughingly referred to by Dolph. “Fact is, we all of us feel pretty well done up, and satisfied to just lie around and rest.”“One thing,” remarked Dolph, “I mean to do if I feel a little more chipper this afternoon.”“I can guess it,” laughed Teddy, jerking his thumb toward the near-by lake, “why they’ve been breaking water all morning, just jumping out to see what ails the crowd.To think of the outfit for bass fishing you’ve got along with you lying idle, when here they are at your tent door, crazy to grab your flies.”“Hold on!” exclaimed Dolph, “that settles it. I thought I might make a try, but now I know it.”And ten minutes later Teddy chuckled to see him jointing his rod, and arranging what he believed might be an all-round taking cast of bass flies, consisting of a Parmachene Belle, a Montreal and a Red Ibis.Teddy smacked his lips and as Amos looked up he remarked:“It worked all right. Knew he just could not stand it. Fresh fish for supper, Amos.”But the day was warm, and Dolph knew the folly of going out to cast his flies while the sun was high and the sky clear.Along about four in the afternoon the conditions changed, just as he had expected would be the case, judging from his observation of the weather.Some clouds came up and obscured the sun. A gentle breeze, and from the right quarter, too, created a ripple on the surface of the erstwhile smooth lake.So Dolph jumped into one of the canoes and set out. He dearly loved to feel the thrillthat came when he felt a sturdy bronze-backed finny warrior tugging at the end of his line, now leaping wildly out of the water, and then trying to find some sharp-pointed rock on the bottom of the lake against which to drag the delicate leader, so as to weaken it, and give him a chance to break away.There was no end of sport.Everything seemed favorable, and for some time Dolph had the time of his life tempting the eager fish, playing them, sometimes two at once, and capturing three times as many as the camp could use.But, like the true sportsman that he was, Dolph returned all his catch to the water after the limit he set had been reached.Tiring finally of the fun, and Amos looking as though anxious to get hold of the catch in order to prepare the fish for supper, Dolph came in.“Give ’em a try, Teddy, just to see what fighters they have up here in this cool water,” he remarked, as his chum came down to admire the catch.“Guess I will,” returned the other. “I may not be as crazy over fishing as you are, Dolph, but I always enjoy the feel of a two-pound fighter like that one you got. Didn’the keep you hustling, though? I thought you were going to lose the sly dodger when he ran under the boat. But you didn’t. You were on to all his tricks, old fellow.”So Teddy went out and had all the sport he wanted, up to the time the shades of evening began to gather, and Amos, beating a big spoon on a frying pan announced that supper was ready.But Teddy brought in only one fish, which he had accidentally hooked so seriously that he thought best to knock it on the head, rather than return it to the water.“Enough for breakfast, with that fine fellow,” Amos remarked, for he had not cooked all of Dolph’s catch.They all united in declaring the fish gilt-edged. And it was decided while eating supper, to put in just one more day in this lake camp.Then they would try and find the man who had the horse and wagon, and with whose assistance they hoped to make the long portage over to the railroad, and launch the canoes in the waters of the little Tahquamanon River shortly beyond.Here at a place named McMillan, they expected to replenish their now diminishedstores, so as to be ready for the long dash down to White Fish Bay, and then skirting the south shore of Lake Superior, bringing up finally at Sault Ste. Marie, where the Government owns the great canal and locks, through which much greater tonnage passes in a summer season than goes through the famous Suez Canal in a whole year.That night the boys thought it best to keep watch.They really did not anticipate any trouble in connection with Crawley and Big Gabe; but knowing the character of the two men they felt that it would not be advisable to take any chances.Besides, Teddy was more than half inclined to suspect that the lumber combine to which his father’s company was so bitterly opposed, was partly responsible for the presence of the big and unscrupulous timber cruiser being in the vicinity.They may have gotten wind of the expedition planned by the three boys; and suspicious lest it might be only a cloak to hide some clever deal of the wealthy lumberman, just because his son was in the party, Gabe may have been hired to keep an eye on their movements.However this might be, there was no sign of any intruder in the camp, and the night passed without an alarm.On the following morning Teddy paddled off all alone, his mission being to find the settler living near the north-eastern point of the lake, and making some arrangement with him, looking to the packing of their canoes across country.It was going to be an all-day job, they figured; indeed they would consider themselves fortunate indeed if nightfall found them fully launched upon the stream that after numerous windings emptied into the great White Fish Bay.The others amused themselves in various ways, Dolph having to strike off some snapshots of the lake camp. How bitterly he regretted that they would have nothing to remind them of all the strange things happening in connection with the two poachers and little Sallie—only the memory of it all, and a wretched fiddle, which Amos was tinkering with every little while, trying to get it in better shape.When Teddy came back he was evidently in a good humor.“All fixed, fellows!” he called out, even before landing.“Then you found our man?” asked Dolph, quite relieved; for he yearned to set eyes on new scenes and had not fancied going back over their course, as must have been the case had a portage been found impossible.“Sure, we can bring our canoes nearly to his door. He lives up a creek, too, which makes it all the easier. And in the morning bright and early we strike camp here. No sleeping till after the sun’s up, hear!” Teddy continued.“Well I should say not,” laughed Dolph. “But get out here, Teddy. I’ve fixed my kodak so as to work it automatically at a distance. That gives me a chance to get in the picture, you see, and makes it complete.”“Good for you!” declared Teddy. “I’ve always been sorry for the fellow who carries a kodak along, because he has to make sets of pictures for others, and hardly ever shows up in one himself. Then I want to go out and say good-bye to the bully bass of this old lake. Get ready for another fish supper, Amos.”
CHAPTER XXIIFLY FISHING FOR BASSThey were certainly a tired lot, all right.For once, at least, the rising sun caught the three boys fast asleep. Indeed, it was fully two hours afterward before any one came creeping out of the tent. Then it turned out to be Amos, wishing to build a fire so they could get a pot of coffee and some bacon ready for breakfast.No one seemed anxious to stir far that morning.“And it isn’t that we need fear meeting up with those two hard cases, either,” said Teddy, when the subject was laughingly referred to by Dolph. “Fact is, we all of us feel pretty well done up, and satisfied to just lie around and rest.”“One thing,” remarked Dolph, “I mean to do if I feel a little more chipper this afternoon.”“I can guess it,” laughed Teddy, jerking his thumb toward the near-by lake, “why they’ve been breaking water all morning, just jumping out to see what ails the crowd.To think of the outfit for bass fishing you’ve got along with you lying idle, when here they are at your tent door, crazy to grab your flies.”“Hold on!” exclaimed Dolph, “that settles it. I thought I might make a try, but now I know it.”And ten minutes later Teddy chuckled to see him jointing his rod, and arranging what he believed might be an all-round taking cast of bass flies, consisting of a Parmachene Belle, a Montreal and a Red Ibis.Teddy smacked his lips and as Amos looked up he remarked:“It worked all right. Knew he just could not stand it. Fresh fish for supper, Amos.”But the day was warm, and Dolph knew the folly of going out to cast his flies while the sun was high and the sky clear.Along about four in the afternoon the conditions changed, just as he had expected would be the case, judging from his observation of the weather.Some clouds came up and obscured the sun. A gentle breeze, and from the right quarter, too, created a ripple on the surface of the erstwhile smooth lake.So Dolph jumped into one of the canoes and set out. He dearly loved to feel the thrillthat came when he felt a sturdy bronze-backed finny warrior tugging at the end of his line, now leaping wildly out of the water, and then trying to find some sharp-pointed rock on the bottom of the lake against which to drag the delicate leader, so as to weaken it, and give him a chance to break away.There was no end of sport.Everything seemed favorable, and for some time Dolph had the time of his life tempting the eager fish, playing them, sometimes two at once, and capturing three times as many as the camp could use.But, like the true sportsman that he was, Dolph returned all his catch to the water after the limit he set had been reached.Tiring finally of the fun, and Amos looking as though anxious to get hold of the catch in order to prepare the fish for supper, Dolph came in.“Give ’em a try, Teddy, just to see what fighters they have up here in this cool water,” he remarked, as his chum came down to admire the catch.“Guess I will,” returned the other. “I may not be as crazy over fishing as you are, Dolph, but I always enjoy the feel of a two-pound fighter like that one you got. Didn’the keep you hustling, though? I thought you were going to lose the sly dodger when he ran under the boat. But you didn’t. You were on to all his tricks, old fellow.”So Teddy went out and had all the sport he wanted, up to the time the shades of evening began to gather, and Amos, beating a big spoon on a frying pan announced that supper was ready.But Teddy brought in only one fish, which he had accidentally hooked so seriously that he thought best to knock it on the head, rather than return it to the water.“Enough for breakfast, with that fine fellow,” Amos remarked, for he had not cooked all of Dolph’s catch.They all united in declaring the fish gilt-edged. And it was decided while eating supper, to put in just one more day in this lake camp.Then they would try and find the man who had the horse and wagon, and with whose assistance they hoped to make the long portage over to the railroad, and launch the canoes in the waters of the little Tahquamanon River shortly beyond.Here at a place named McMillan, they expected to replenish their now diminishedstores, so as to be ready for the long dash down to White Fish Bay, and then skirting the south shore of Lake Superior, bringing up finally at Sault Ste. Marie, where the Government owns the great canal and locks, through which much greater tonnage passes in a summer season than goes through the famous Suez Canal in a whole year.That night the boys thought it best to keep watch.They really did not anticipate any trouble in connection with Crawley and Big Gabe; but knowing the character of the two men they felt that it would not be advisable to take any chances.Besides, Teddy was more than half inclined to suspect that the lumber combine to which his father’s company was so bitterly opposed, was partly responsible for the presence of the big and unscrupulous timber cruiser being in the vicinity.They may have gotten wind of the expedition planned by the three boys; and suspicious lest it might be only a cloak to hide some clever deal of the wealthy lumberman, just because his son was in the party, Gabe may have been hired to keep an eye on their movements.However this might be, there was no sign of any intruder in the camp, and the night passed without an alarm.On the following morning Teddy paddled off all alone, his mission being to find the settler living near the north-eastern point of the lake, and making some arrangement with him, looking to the packing of their canoes across country.It was going to be an all-day job, they figured; indeed they would consider themselves fortunate indeed if nightfall found them fully launched upon the stream that after numerous windings emptied into the great White Fish Bay.The others amused themselves in various ways, Dolph having to strike off some snapshots of the lake camp. How bitterly he regretted that they would have nothing to remind them of all the strange things happening in connection with the two poachers and little Sallie—only the memory of it all, and a wretched fiddle, which Amos was tinkering with every little while, trying to get it in better shape.When Teddy came back he was evidently in a good humor.“All fixed, fellows!” he called out, even before landing.“Then you found our man?” asked Dolph, quite relieved; for he yearned to set eyes on new scenes and had not fancied going back over their course, as must have been the case had a portage been found impossible.“Sure, we can bring our canoes nearly to his door. He lives up a creek, too, which makes it all the easier. And in the morning bright and early we strike camp here. No sleeping till after the sun’s up, hear!” Teddy continued.“Well I should say not,” laughed Dolph. “But get out here, Teddy. I’ve fixed my kodak so as to work it automatically at a distance. That gives me a chance to get in the picture, you see, and makes it complete.”“Good for you!” declared Teddy. “I’ve always been sorry for the fellow who carries a kodak along, because he has to make sets of pictures for others, and hardly ever shows up in one himself. Then I want to go out and say good-bye to the bully bass of this old lake. Get ready for another fish supper, Amos.”
FLY FISHING FOR BASS
They were certainly a tired lot, all right.
For once, at least, the rising sun caught the three boys fast asleep. Indeed, it was fully two hours afterward before any one came creeping out of the tent. Then it turned out to be Amos, wishing to build a fire so they could get a pot of coffee and some bacon ready for breakfast.
No one seemed anxious to stir far that morning.
“And it isn’t that we need fear meeting up with those two hard cases, either,” said Teddy, when the subject was laughingly referred to by Dolph. “Fact is, we all of us feel pretty well done up, and satisfied to just lie around and rest.”
“One thing,” remarked Dolph, “I mean to do if I feel a little more chipper this afternoon.”
“I can guess it,” laughed Teddy, jerking his thumb toward the near-by lake, “why they’ve been breaking water all morning, just jumping out to see what ails the crowd.To think of the outfit for bass fishing you’ve got along with you lying idle, when here they are at your tent door, crazy to grab your flies.”
“Hold on!” exclaimed Dolph, “that settles it. I thought I might make a try, but now I know it.”
And ten minutes later Teddy chuckled to see him jointing his rod, and arranging what he believed might be an all-round taking cast of bass flies, consisting of a Parmachene Belle, a Montreal and a Red Ibis.
Teddy smacked his lips and as Amos looked up he remarked:
“It worked all right. Knew he just could not stand it. Fresh fish for supper, Amos.”
But the day was warm, and Dolph knew the folly of going out to cast his flies while the sun was high and the sky clear.
Along about four in the afternoon the conditions changed, just as he had expected would be the case, judging from his observation of the weather.
Some clouds came up and obscured the sun. A gentle breeze, and from the right quarter, too, created a ripple on the surface of the erstwhile smooth lake.
So Dolph jumped into one of the canoes and set out. He dearly loved to feel the thrillthat came when he felt a sturdy bronze-backed finny warrior tugging at the end of his line, now leaping wildly out of the water, and then trying to find some sharp-pointed rock on the bottom of the lake against which to drag the delicate leader, so as to weaken it, and give him a chance to break away.
There was no end of sport.
Everything seemed favorable, and for some time Dolph had the time of his life tempting the eager fish, playing them, sometimes two at once, and capturing three times as many as the camp could use.
But, like the true sportsman that he was, Dolph returned all his catch to the water after the limit he set had been reached.
Tiring finally of the fun, and Amos looking as though anxious to get hold of the catch in order to prepare the fish for supper, Dolph came in.
“Give ’em a try, Teddy, just to see what fighters they have up here in this cool water,” he remarked, as his chum came down to admire the catch.
“Guess I will,” returned the other. “I may not be as crazy over fishing as you are, Dolph, but I always enjoy the feel of a two-pound fighter like that one you got. Didn’the keep you hustling, though? I thought you were going to lose the sly dodger when he ran under the boat. But you didn’t. You were on to all his tricks, old fellow.”
So Teddy went out and had all the sport he wanted, up to the time the shades of evening began to gather, and Amos, beating a big spoon on a frying pan announced that supper was ready.
But Teddy brought in only one fish, which he had accidentally hooked so seriously that he thought best to knock it on the head, rather than return it to the water.
“Enough for breakfast, with that fine fellow,” Amos remarked, for he had not cooked all of Dolph’s catch.
They all united in declaring the fish gilt-edged. And it was decided while eating supper, to put in just one more day in this lake camp.
Then they would try and find the man who had the horse and wagon, and with whose assistance they hoped to make the long portage over to the railroad, and launch the canoes in the waters of the little Tahquamanon River shortly beyond.
Here at a place named McMillan, they expected to replenish their now diminishedstores, so as to be ready for the long dash down to White Fish Bay, and then skirting the south shore of Lake Superior, bringing up finally at Sault Ste. Marie, where the Government owns the great canal and locks, through which much greater tonnage passes in a summer season than goes through the famous Suez Canal in a whole year.
That night the boys thought it best to keep watch.
They really did not anticipate any trouble in connection with Crawley and Big Gabe; but knowing the character of the two men they felt that it would not be advisable to take any chances.
Besides, Teddy was more than half inclined to suspect that the lumber combine to which his father’s company was so bitterly opposed, was partly responsible for the presence of the big and unscrupulous timber cruiser being in the vicinity.
They may have gotten wind of the expedition planned by the three boys; and suspicious lest it might be only a cloak to hide some clever deal of the wealthy lumberman, just because his son was in the party, Gabe may have been hired to keep an eye on their movements.
However this might be, there was no sign of any intruder in the camp, and the night passed without an alarm.
On the following morning Teddy paddled off all alone, his mission being to find the settler living near the north-eastern point of the lake, and making some arrangement with him, looking to the packing of their canoes across country.
It was going to be an all-day job, they figured; indeed they would consider themselves fortunate indeed if nightfall found them fully launched upon the stream that after numerous windings emptied into the great White Fish Bay.
The others amused themselves in various ways, Dolph having to strike off some snapshots of the lake camp. How bitterly he regretted that they would have nothing to remind them of all the strange things happening in connection with the two poachers and little Sallie—only the memory of it all, and a wretched fiddle, which Amos was tinkering with every little while, trying to get it in better shape.
When Teddy came back he was evidently in a good humor.
“All fixed, fellows!” he called out, even before landing.
“Then you found our man?” asked Dolph, quite relieved; for he yearned to set eyes on new scenes and had not fancied going back over their course, as must have been the case had a portage been found impossible.
“Sure, we can bring our canoes nearly to his door. He lives up a creek, too, which makes it all the easier. And in the morning bright and early we strike camp here. No sleeping till after the sun’s up, hear!” Teddy continued.
“Well I should say not,” laughed Dolph. “But get out here, Teddy. I’ve fixed my kodak so as to work it automatically at a distance. That gives me a chance to get in the picture, you see, and makes it complete.”
“Good for you!” declared Teddy. “I’ve always been sorry for the fellow who carries a kodak along, because he has to make sets of pictures for others, and hardly ever shows up in one himself. Then I want to go out and say good-bye to the bully bass of this old lake. Get ready for another fish supper, Amos.”