"I's neber gwan ter fish no mo', sah—no, sah! neber no mo'; 'cause dat's whar I's got dat nose, youse see."
"How did it happen, Ike? Tell us; perhaps we can fix you up."
"See dat little neck er-runnin' out past de big mountain ober dar? Well, round dat neck dere's a cove, and dere's as fine er trout stream runs in dere as dey has 'bout dis place. Ise was er-fishin' dere de oder day, when Ise seed er big one flittin' by a rock dat's dere. Ise thrashed dat spot by de hour, and dat trout he done come an' look at de fly, an' den—yes, sah, den dat trout laugh at me an' swim 'way. I's tried eberyt'ing to ketch him, but 'twa'n't any use. Den Ise grew er-thinkin'. What he do 'round dat stone all de time? So Ise rested very quiet and watched dat stone. Pretty soon Ise see er bee hummin' 'round close to de water and near de stone, and Ise see de trout make er leap fer him.
"Dat settled it; Ise knew what ter ketch 'im wid. Ise just caught er bee an' put de hook in between de wings, where it wouldn't hurt him. Den Ise casted. Yah, yah!—he! he! Dat trout he made one leap an' he had de bee; but de fight was awful. He done paid no 'tention ter me, but he an' de bee wuz er-havin' it out—and how dey did fight! Ise got him on de bank at last, and dere's whar my trouble came in. Ise opened his mouth ter get de hook out, when out flew dat bee, and he wuz mad. Yes, sah, he just been er-waitin' fer me, Ise know, an' he landed plumb on my nose. Youse see de result. But dat's only part ob it. De trout he swelled up de same way. He wuz five pounds when Ise first ketched him, but when he was done swellin' he was too heavy ter carry home."
We silently left Ike to continue his mournful contemplation of the lake.
JACK'S PROBLEM.
Jack (mystified). "Papa, there's one thing I don't understand kerzactly."
Papa. "Well, what is that?"
Jack. "I dig a hole here on the beach, and a wave comes along and washes over it, and goes back again. Then I find the hole all filled up with sand. I thought the ocean was made of water, but it seems to me it's nothin' but sand."