“I hope this one turns out as rich as the other,” Alex grinned.
The breakfast, when finally prepared, was a light one, so the boys had dinner early and then got under way. It was much more convenient cooking when the boat was not trying to turn handsprings in the river. Now and then they came to rapids which any ordinary caution would have warned them to hesitate before entering, but Clay was anxious to get as far away from his pursuer as possible in the shortest time allowable, and so took chances.
In the middle of the afternoon they came to a quiet piece of river some distance above a stretch of rapids, around which the boat would have to be carried. They decided to remain here for the night, making ready during the afternoon and evening to convey the Rambler around the falls early in the morning.
Clay was careful to anchor the boat on the west side of the river. They had come a long distance, and if the unwelcome visitor of the morning had indeed succeeded in keeping up with them by taking to the stream in a light boat, he would have to show himself if he passed, or even if he came within a hundreds yards of the Rambler during the afternoon.
“Now,” said Case, as the boat lay rocking in a small cove, “I’ll go and catch a fish and show you how to cook it. Here we’ve been on the river two days and haven’t had a bite of fish yet. That is what I call a burning shame. Do you think I can ride that log of a canoe to the shore? I’ve got to do my expert cooking under the leafy trees, you see, and so I’ve got to use the canoe.”
“You might try it,” Clay laughed. “Alex went after fish last evening and caught a bear, so there is no knowing what you may get.”
“Perhaps an elephant!” laughed Gran.
“Or a bold train robber!” Alex put in, just to see what Gran would say at the mention of the incidents at the pass.
Gran looked up quickly, but there was no surprise in his face. Instead he smiled and pointed to a grove of tall cedars on the shore not far from the edge of the stream.
“That looks like a fine place to fish for train robbers,” he said. “I have a great mind to go ashore with you to see you get the fish, and help cook it. I know something about cooking fish!”