r of
the disaster. Accordingly on hearing Theo's plea he packed his tackle,
and with a gentle word of caution to the invalid to be careful during
his absence, set forth with Mr. Croyden to fish Elk River.

It was no easy thing for Theo to play an unselfish part and see them
start off. How he wished that he, too, were going! But for his own
folly he might have gone. Well, he had no one to blame but himself,
that was certain. Therefore he put as brave a front on the matter as
he could, resolving to make the best of it and be cheerful.

It was not, however, much fun to be lying there in bed during those
fine spring days. From his window he could see the blue waters of the
lake between the aisles of straight pines. It was a glorious world if
one could only be abroad in it. Even the glimpse he had of it from
his bed was beautiful. But to lie still and look out upon this
alluring scene was not a satisfying role for an active boy. In spite
of the wood-carving, the books, the writing; even despite the time
Franz could spare to entertain him the hours dragged pitifully.
Furthermore, now that the severed bone had begun to knit he felt
restless and uncomfortable.

Hence when on the afternoon of the third day he awoke from an uneasy
doze to find his father standing beside him it was a joyful surprise.

"Father!" he cried.

"Right here," came gruffly from the Doctor. "Glad to have your old
dad home again?"

"Glad? Well, I guess!"

"I am glad to see you again too, son. I've thought of you a hundred
times. How did you get on?"

"All right, sir. Franz took fine care of me, and I found lots of
things to do," answered Theo bravely. "But it is much nicer when you
are here than when you're not."

His father smiled.

"You are a plucky youngster," he said huskily. "No matter how silly
and childish your accident was you certainly have shown yourself a man
since. Look! Here comes Mr. Croyden to see you. He has brought you a
fine four-pounder, the record trout of the catch."

Theo beamed.

During the time the fishermen had been gone he had sadly missed the
delicacy of fresh fish.

"Eating this trout will be the next best thing to pulling it in,
Theo," said Mr. Croyden. "I only wish you might have had that
pleasure, too."

"I shall be pretty glad to eat the trout, sir," Theo declared
promptly.

"We shall let Franz get to work cooking it then, right away, so to
have it ready for your dinner," Dr. Swift said, passing out with