“Well, my pit is four-fifths dug,” announced Dan, proudly. “And if I can get a new shift of workers this afternoon I’ll have it done easily, so the trap could be set this very night.”
Several volunteers were immediately forthcoming, among others Asa Gardner, who, while not as strong physically as most of the others, wished to do his share.
“You see,” he explained to Dan when making the offer, “I don’t want to be left out of the running.”
“Well,” observed Fred Bonnicastle, drily, “you wouldn’t have if you’d gone off with our bunch this morning, I can tell you that. Eh, fellows?”
Dick, true to his promise, after certain camp duties had been performed, went out in one of the boats with Eddie, Ban and Cub to try for the bass.
“We’d like to give Mr. Capes a treat and the finest dinner possible while he’s up here over night with us,” he told his companions, while rowing toward his favorite fishing grounds. “So everybody must do his level best to land some big fellows, if only we can tempt them to take hold.”
The conditions seemed especially favorable. The sun was hidden much of the time behind friendly clouds, and a gentle wind blew from the southwest, causing a ripple on the water such as fishermen delight to see.
The sport turned out to be excellent, and some extra fine fish were taken during the several hours the quartette spent at their pleasant task.
“Let me tell you this beats picking berries all hollow,” remarked Eddie, as he played a sturdy bronze-backed warrior, and watched the captive leap wildly from the water time after time, always attempting to throw his weight upon the line so as to break the hook loose from his jaw.
“I never seem to get enough of it,” added Cub, all aglow as he, too, felt a savage jerk, and succeeded in fastening a mate to Eddie’s fellow, so that there were lively times at both ends of the anchored boat.