After that the two boys went to bed and slept the sleep of the innocent and healthy, while Arthur, tormented by his fears, rolled uneasily about on his couch, utterly unable to close his eyes in slumber.
Bob was up at the first peep of day, and in a very few minutes he and George were ready for the start. As soon as they were dressed, they made their way to the kitchen, and there they found the cook and a cup of hot coffee waiting for them. One of the tables was loaded with the bread, pies and cookies that had been baked for them the evening before.
“There isn’t room enough in the skiff for all that provender,” said George, who was fairly astonished.
“It’s got to go in,” replied Bob. “My schoolboy appetite clings to me yet, and I never go into camp without plenty to eat. If the fish don’t bite, we’ve got a side of bacon and a whole ham to fall back on.”
Having eaten breakfast and packed the bread, pies and cookies away in baskets which the cook brought out of the storeroom, they bade the latter good-by and left the ranch.
“Look out for the current, boys,” said the man, as he stood in the door watching them. “There must have been a heavy fall of rain somewhere in the mountains yesterday, for the river is just a-booming this morning.”
“All right, Ike,” replied Bob, cheerfully, “I know too much about this stream to take any risks.”
Notwithstanding George’s prediction, there proved to be room enough in the skiff for all the baskets, as well as for the two setters and everything else they had to take with them.
After the guns and fishing-rods had been put in, and Bob had satisfied himself that nothing had been forgotten, he cast off the painter, hauled the boat broadside to the bank, and motioned to George to jump in. The latter looked dubiously at the water and hesitated.
“Hadn’t we better pull the skiff up the river a little before we get in?” said he. “This current runs like lightning, and I am afraid we can’t stem it.”