"The gentleman who gave you that note. Is it possible he didn't mention fishing?"
"Naw! He didn't say nothin' about it. He just give me this letter, and—"
"Very likely he forgot about the fishing part," and the detective smiled grimly. "Let me see it just a moment."
Without hesitation the boy handed it over. Thought was hardly more rapid than the colonel's perusal of the missive, and, as he gave it back to the boy, he remarked:
"It's all right. I didn't make any mistake. Now hurry, and you needn't come back to the station right away."
"But he told me to bring him an answer."
"Oh, did he? Well, then I'll wait for you in the village and you can let me see it first. Then I'll know all about the fishing and I can be on hand with my friend. Trot along, Sonny. I'll meet you in the village when you get the answer to the note. Then I'll know just where to go fishing. How is it around here? Are there any good streams?"
"Are there? Say, I've caught some of the biggest chubb—"
"Ah, I thought I wasn't mistaken in thinking you a pupil in the school of Izaak Walton."
"Isaac Walton? Huh! That ain't our teacher's name!"