As they turned at last to retrace their way to the camp, Bob, who had been silent most of the time, said: “This is a great place, Jock. ’Twas good of you to have us all here.”
“Yes, it was pure philanthropy,” said Jock. “You see, I had been down here before and wanted all the more to come again; but my father didn’t want me to come alone; so I just had to make up a party, or stay at home. I’m generous, am I not?”
“Yes; what was that?” Bob suddenly said, stopping short and peering excitedly out into the river at a place where a whirl or eddy in the stream appeared.
“That? oh, that was probably some fish.”
“Jock Cope, do you mean to tell me they have fish like that in this river?”
“Why, yes; what did you think was here?”
“Oh, I didn’t know. But I’m wondering what I would do if a fish as large as that one was should get hold of one end of a line and I should be at the other.”
“You’d wake up and go to work, for once in your life.”
“I think I should, for a fact. I almost wish we could try it to-night.”