a feverish pitch
by the first bite of tender and succulent meat.

"Only thing I kick about," he presently mumbled, throwing away the
slender bones which he had picked clean, "is that they go so quick. Why,
you hardly get started before you're at the end."

"That's the way with nearly all good things," Merritt informed him.
"Just as soon as they become so numerous that you can have all you want,
somehow it seems as if the craving leaves you."

"Yes, I guess that's about it," admitted Tubby, talking only because the
next batch of provender was not quite ready for disposal. "Anyhow, I've
seen my mother just dote on a horrible little cucumber that dad brought
home in January, paying about twenty cents for the same, and, when we
have bushels of splendid ones in our own garden, why, nobody cares to
eat them."

The little feast continued until everybody had cleaned up their mess.
Tubby was disconsolate because the supply was so limited and the demand
so great.

"How foolish we were not to double our catch," he said several times,
"for there wouldn't have been any trouble about doing the same. One
thing I've settled in my mind, I want to tell you."

"Well, go on, then, and explain," urged Merritt.

"I'll have one next summer, see if I don't," asserted Tubby.

"What--a feast of frogs' legs?" chuckled the other scout.

"Me? Only one show at the same? Well, when I like a thing, I rave over
it. I want it every day. I mean to have a frog hatchery, and a pond
where I can raise 'em by the million!"

"Listen to him, will you, Rob?" exclaimed Merritt, pretending to be
horrified. "If ever there was a case where eyes were bigger than a
stomach, it's right here. Millions of them, Tubby wants now; seven is
only a flea-bite to him."

"Oh! shucks! don't make me out a hog!" remonstrated Tubby. "I didn't
mean I expected to devour the whole lot. Why, can't you see there's good
money in raising frogs? I'm going to get the figures, and find out just
what the ratio of increase might reach. And my folks have got a dandy
marsh on the old farm back near Huntington that we own. Rob, I thank you
for opening my eyes to this grand opportunity. I expect it will be the
turning point of my life yet."

They were used to hearing Tubby talk like this. He often became inspired
with ambition, but, as time went on, the spirit died out, and something
new took its place.

"You're letting the little fire die out, I notice, Rob," Merritt
observed.