“Look here,” invited Rodney, taking the thing in his hands and detaching it from the line. “I tell you it’s nothing but an old root.”
Even then Duckelstein found it almost impossible to believe the evidence of his eyes. Chagrined, he finally said:
“Vale, dot peen der first time I efer knew a hook to pite a roots. It vas a most singular concurrence.”
“You see now,” said Stone, attempting to appear quite grave, “why we laughed and didn’t go to your assistance.”
“Didt you knew all der time it peen a roots?” questioned Carl a bit suspiciously.
“Yes, we knew it all the time.”
“Vale, uf dot vas der case, I vill again say dot it peen a strange concurrence, and I didt not understood him. I couldt not comprehension how dot root came on my line caught.”
“That’s the most natteral thing in the world,” said Crane. “Yeou went to snoozin’ and let your line sink to the bottom. The old root was down there and got ketched on it.”
“Maype dot vas so,” admitted Carl, although his suspicions were plainly unallayed; “but der bottom of der vater off der rocks vas nothings but gravel undt sand, undt I couldt not imachine vot made dot roots svim there.”
“He’s on to you,” whispered Piper in Crane’s ear. “Beware of the hour of vengeance.”