floating cork.
Meanwhile Dick caught his third fish and then Pennington equaled him.
Now their taunts, veiled but little, became more numerous.

Warner never spoke, nor did he take his eyes from his cork. He had heard
every word, but he would not show annoyance. He was compelled to see
Dick draw in yet another fine fellow, while his own cork seemed to have
all the qualities of a lifeboat. It danced and bobbed around, but
apparently it had not the slightest intention of sinking. Why did he
have such luck, or rather lack of it? Was fortune going to prove unkind
to the good old rock-ribbed Green Mountain State?

There came a tremendous jerk upon the line! The cork shot down like a
bullet, but Warner, making a mighty pull and snap with the rod, landed a
glorious gleaming fish upon the bank, a full two feet in length, probably
as large as any that had ever been caught in that stream. He detached
the hook and looked down at his squirming prize, while Dick and
Pennington also came running to see.

"I've been waiting for you, my friend," said Warner serenely to the fish.
"Various small brothers of yours have come along and looked at my bait,
but I've always moved it out of reach, leaving them to fall a prey to my
friends who are content with little things. I had to wait for you some
time, O King of Fishes, but you came at last and you are mine."

"You can't put him down, Dick, and it's not worth while trying," said
Pennington, and Dick agreeing they went back to their own places.

The fishing now went on with uninterrupted success. Dick caught a big
fellow too, and so did Pennington. Fortune, after wavering in her choice,
decided to favor all three about equally, and they were content. The
silvery heaps grew and they rejoiced over the splendid addition they
would make to their mess. The colonels would enjoy this fine fresh food,
and they were certainly enjoying the taking of it.

They ran out of chaff and fell into silence again, while they fished
industriously. Dick, who was farthest up the stream, noticed a small
piece of wood floating in the center of the current. It seemed to have
been cut freshly. "Loggers at work farther up," he said to himself.
"May be cutting wood for the army."

He caught another fish and a fresh chip passed very near his line.
Then came a second, and a third touched the line itself. Dick's
curiosity was aroused. Loggers at such a time would not take the trouble
to throw their