“Eat?” he cried. “Well, what’s to hinder you from getting out that big lunch you took away with you? We can spare you a cup of coffee to wash it down, I guess, hey, fellows?”
Then the two returned fishermen stared at each other.
“What are you talking about, Josh?” said Nick. “That little snack we carried off with us, is it? Oh! say, you don’t count that, do you? Why, Jimmie and me, we got nippy about nine o’clock and punished that off. Why, I’m just about starved right now, if you want to know it. Bring on your grub, unless you want to see me faint dead away.”
Josh had had his little fun, and knew that it would do no good to draw it out any longer; so grumbling about the “rise in the cost of living,” he proceeded to comply with the demand.
Of course there was enough; Josh had seen to that in the beginning. Indeed, it would have been a highly dangerous proceeding for any one entrusted with the cooking arrangements of the party not to consider the enormous capacity of Nick and Jimmie, when laying out provisions for a meal.
Naturally enough the conversation soon took on an interesting color.
“How long are we going to stick right here in this cove?” Josh asked, as he sat curled up on a seat, enjoying a platter of Boston baked beans, with which some frizzled dried beef had been heated up.
“Yes,” added Herb, “that’s a subject we ought to consider. It’s all very fine to be enjoying the fishing and the wonderful stunts of Buster at harnessing the finny tribes as horses; but you know, fellows, we came here to the St. Lawrence to cruise, not squat on our haunches. Jack, it’s up to you. Tell us.”
“I’ve been thinking right along that it must be getting rather monotonous to some of you,” said Jack, slowly. “Only for the fact that we’ve been badgered by some unknown parties who want to chase us off, we’d have gone before now. But it does seem a shame to lose so much time in this way. Tell you what I propose, boys.”
“Glad to hear it. Let’s know!” several of the others cried in unison; for somehow what Jack thought right usually appealed to the rest; because in the past as a leader he had often been tried and never found wanting.