"Yes, I'm going," said Bill. "For heaven's sake, don't let on to Mr. Waterman that you've never seen an artificial fly or he'll be disgusted. Thank goodness, you learned to paddle a canoe well and to swim well as Camp Pontiac, for those two accomplishments are really necessary for such a trip."
"I'll be all right in that way," said Pud.
"Well, don't boast, for though you can probably swim better than any guide we may see, they'll show you a few things about handling a canoe that you never dreamed of. Father says that the Lake St. John guides are wonders and we'll be only a little farther east, so our guides should be just as clever," said Bill enthusiastically.
"Gee, it's going to be some summer," said Pud. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Two weeks later, Bob Hunt, Pud Jones and Bill Williams left Broad Street Station for Canada. They were going to travel to Tadousac at the mouth of the Saguenay River, where they would be met by Mr. Waterman or one of his men. All three boys were big enough to make such a journey alone. The boys had their dunnage bags with them and had practically no other baggage excepting a suitcase. Mr. Waterman had told them to take their dunnage bags right along with them so they would run no risk of having them held up in the Custom House at Quebec. They were all provided with passports, as the big European war was going on and they might have use for this means of identification.
The boys arrived in New York without any unusual happenings, but Pud got separated from them at the Big Pennsylvania Railroad Station and they were worried until they saw his big good-natured form looming up at the train gate at the Grand Central Station.
"Where have you been?" asked Bill.
"Gee, I'm glad I found you," said Pud. "How did you get lost?"
"We get lost, you big duffer," said Bill. "Why, you were the one that got lost. We've been looking all over for you."