Dick brought this to the attention of his companions as they trudged onward. He was always finding some reason for plucking up hope; conditions, according to Dick’s healthy mind, were never so had but that they might be worse.
Some time later they drew up, Mayhew suggesting that they could hardly find a better place to spend the night than where they were. A small stream ran past, and it was cold water, too, as they soon discovered.
“Trout in it!” Mayhew announced, as though he had something on his mind, “and if you say the word, I think I can get a few of them. The season is late; but, since winter is still holding off, they may bite at a bait.”
“It would be a good idea,” returned Dick, “since we have lost all our supplies we will have to get food by all sorts of means. Our guns should bring us in game, if only we dare fire them. Yes, try the fishing, Mayhew, and good luck to you.”
The guide had some hooks with him, for he always went prepared to provide himself with a tasty meal from a convenient stream, being very fond of fish. He also found some fragments of meat with which to bait his hooks. While the others were making ready to start a small flame in a depression, where it could not betray them to lurking enemies, Mayhew began his angling.
Fortunately for the little party the trout were both hungry and guileless. They had never had any acquaintance with such a thing as a fish-hook. Perhaps, once in a long time, some passing Indian brave may have used his primitive fish spear in order to secure a meal, but this had failed to educate them in the wiles of the human race.
And so it came about that presently Mayhew proudly exhibited a beautiful trout that, being freshly caught, seemed to glow with all the colors of the rainbow.
“Two more like it would make us all a fine meal,” said Dick, as he surveyed the prize.
“I can get them, never fear, unless my cunning has deserted me,” the guide told him, confidently.
It proved that his boast was good, since a second fish was soon taken, although they had to wait until almost dark before a third came to hook.