“Pull him in!” cried Nora excitedly.
“There it comes,” exclaimed Emma, clapping her hands as a rainbow trout, its dazzling colors glistening in the bright sunlight, was thrown out wriggling on Hippy’s hook.
“Now why didn’t you do that?” wondered Grace, nodding smilingly at Jim Badger.
“Because there wasn’t any fish there then. A school of ’em just happened to come along as the lieutenant threw in his line. Don’t take the fish off. I’ll show you somethin’—show you the way we do things here.”
Taking the pole from Hippy’s hand, the guide lowered the trout into a small boiling pool close at hand, while the Overlanders looked on curiously.
“He’s giving the fish a bath!” chortled Chunky.
“I hope its colors are fast,” added Emma.
A few moments later Jim hauled the fish out, cooked and ready to serve. Stacy got the fish and was eating it ere his companions really comprehended what had been done.
“Somebody get me some salt,” urged Stacy thickly. “This is too good to be true. Oh, what a snap!”
“You greedy boy! Won’t you give us a bite?” rebuked Nora.