“Now, wait till I have my spear ready,” said Joel Runnell, and brought out the weapon mentioned, which was fairly long and with a razor-like point.
In a few minutes he was ready for the test, and he showed Joe how to drop the bait into the hole and jerk it around in the water below.
For quite a while Joe jerked the imitation fish around in vain. Once a lazy looking fish came fairly close, but not close enough for old Runnell to use the spear.
“Perhaps we had better try a line and hook,” said Harry.
“Be patient,” said the old hunter. “You’ll never have any success at fishing if you are not patient. You must—ah, I guess we’ll get something now.”
Joel Runnell bent directly over the hole. A good-sized pike had shown himself. He darted off, but soon reappeared. Then, as Joe gave the bait another jerk, the pike came directly under the hole and sniffed at it.
It was a splendid chance and old Runnell was not slow to take advantage of it. His spear was up, and down it came with force and directness, taking the pike directly through the back. There was a twist and a short struggle, and in a twinkling the pike lay on the floor of the fishing shelter, breathing its last.
“Oh, but that’s a prize!” cried Bart, enthusiastically. “He must weigh three pounds!”
“You’d have a fine time bringing him in on a line,” was Joe’s comment. “He’d tire you out sure, or maybe break the line on the edge of the ice.”
All inspected the pike with great interest, and then Joel Runnell passed the catch over to Teddy to be cleaned.