“You certainly may,” was the answer. “I am probing for bullets.”
“For bullets?”
“Yes, you see the king observed some one shooting up the river last night, and he directed me to probe for the bullets.”
“Shooting up the river?” inquired Ned.
“Yes, in a boat, you know. Did you think I meant a gun? How could one shoot up in a gun? But don’t mention to the king that you saw me. He’s not expecting to hear from me, and it might annoy him,” and the man allowed the boat to drift down stream again before he brought it to anchor. Then he began sticking the pole down into the mud and resumed his operation of examining the end with the magnifying glass.
“Crazy as a loon,” remarked Frank, in a low tone. “Row on, fellows.”
“I’d like to go ashore and have a look into that hut,” remarked Ned.
“Better not,” cautioned Frank. “There!” he exclaimed, “I’ve got one,” and he pulled in a fine large fish.
He had several bites after that, and, becoming interested in his success, Ned and Fenn rowed further up stream where the fishing was better. Frank caught eight fish before the boys decided to go home. They looked for the strange man in the boat, as they floated past where he had been, but he was not in sight, nor was his craft to be seen.
“Something’s up,” remarked Ned to Bart, as they met the next Monday on the school campus.