“Catch the pole! Catch the pole!” called Randy, as he came up to his feet and scrambled out on the rocks. “There goes the fish with my pole!”
Jack handed his own pole to Spouter and made a leap for the rowboat. Getting in, he sculled rapidly after the pole, which was being jerked along the surface of the lake. As he caught the pole there was a snap, and the empty line came flying toward him. What became of the fish they never learned.
After that things went along quietly for half an hour. Then, of a sudden, Spouter let out a yell.
“Hannibal’s ghost!” he called out. “I’ve got the biggest fish yet! Gee, I can hardly budge him!”
“Play him, Spouter! Play him!” called out Gif. “Don’t let him get away from you.”
“I knew some whopping big fish were down in that hole,” cried Fred. “Play him for all you’re worth, Spouter!”
“I can’t budge him,” gasped Spouter. “Gee, what a catch!”
Spouter was so excited that all the others pulled in their lines and ran to where he stood close to the bent-over trees which lined the edge of that side of the cove. Spouter was trying his best to haul in, but without avail.
“Maybe your line is caught,” suggested Gif.