Afterwards came the duty of taking down the tent, and packing things away in the canoe that was used partly for their transportation, being paddled by Amos himself, the huskiest of the lot.
They had this thing reduced to a science, from long practice. Everything went in a particular place, and thus they economized in the matter of space, which counted for much on a trip of this sort.
“All ready?” sang out Dolph, as he balanced his paddle, sitting in the front of the canoe which he and Teddy managed.
“Just a minute more, while I throw some water on what’s left of the fire,” said Teddy. “You see, I’m a lumberman’s son, and I never like to think of taking chances of having the wind scatter the red-hot embers of a deserted camp fire, to start a forest blaze that might burn up millions and millions of feet of fine timber.”
“Yes’m you’re right, I believe in the same thing!” declared Dolph, “though I look at it from the view of a true sportsman, who will never, never leave a fire burning after him, when he breaks up camp. I was in one woods’ fire up in the Adirondacks two years back, and came mighty near having my crop of hair singed off; and they said it started just in that way, on a windy day. Why, in Maine, they won’t let hunters go into the woods without a licensed guide along, who is supposed to see to it that no chances are taken with fires left by careless city sportsmen; or rather men who like to call themselves by that name, though they are often a disgrace to the cloth.”
“Yes, I’ve run across a-plenty of that kind up here in Michigan, and over in Wisconsin,” remarked Amos. “We call ’em fish hogs up here, because, when they strike a lake where the trout bite free-like, they keep on throwing bushels out on the bank to die and rot. I hate the breed, and I think they just ought to be tarred and feathered, that’s what.”
“Same here,” remarked Teddy. “In my opinion every fellow who wants to call himself a true sportsman should give the animals and fish a chance to breed. When he’s caught all he can use, he ought to stop fishing, unless he happens to be using artificial flies, when he can put all the rest he takes back again, because they won’t be hurt that way. I’ve stopped many a time when using live minnow, because I knew that when bass gorge the bait, they’re sure to die, even if you do throw them overboard again. The hook tears them more or less. Well, everybody ready now?”
“O. K. here!” sang out Amos.
“Then let’s be off, for we’ve got a strong bit of work before us today, with all this water coming down the old Manistique,” and as he spoke, Teddy thrust his paddle deep in the running water of the river, and gave a thrust that started the canoe on its farther journey northward.
As they labored with regular movements the boys often indulged in laughter, and even broke out at times in bits of song; for they were light-hearted, and seemed to have few cares or troubles sitting on their broad shoulders. Indeed, the millionaire’s son, and the heir of the wealthy lumberman, certainly knew nothing at all of anxiety with regard to their well-being. Amos, being a poor boy, often doubtless tried to lift the veil of the future, eager to ascertain what lay in store for him there; but he was still young, and care does not weigh down youth very often. Besides, he enjoyed the company of his camp mates so much, that for the time being the woods boy felt supremely happy.