you?"

Jack was already throwing his coat off, and in another minute he had
leaped from the bank into the water. Just as Nick had said, there was
some danger that he might be dragged out beyond his depth; and at least
the great struggling fish was liable to break away, and become lost to
them.

Once Jack got hold of the line, and it was all over. By degrees they
drew the captive to the shore, upon which he was finally cast, proving
to be an enormous red drum, or as they are called in the South, a
channel bass, weighing pretty nearly forty pounds, Jack figured.

"Is it good to eat?" was the first natural question fired at him by
Nick, whose eyes were fairly glistening with pride as they watched the
dying flops of the bronze-backed quarry.

"First rate, if a bit dry," Jack replied. "The meat is snow white, and
something like halibut, only not quite so fine. But it's a great day
for you, Nick. I can see one time when you're sure to get your fill."

Indeed, it proved to be a good day all around, for just then they heard
George letting fly with both barrels, and following it with a glad
whoop.

"He's gone and got something," declared Josh. "Ain't it queer how
things run? With us it's feast or a famine all the while. D'ye reckon
it was a deer he knocked over, Jack?"

"More'n likely another shoat," said Nick, grinning; "but even if it is,
razorback pork ain't half bad when a feller's real hungry."

Presently George came in. It was getting near dusk, and they could
just see that he was carrying a load of some sort on his back, which he
tried to hide until he could reach camp.

Josh began to grunt at a lively rate, by which he hinted that they
anticipated another diet of pork.

"What did you run up against, George?" asked Jack.

"That!" exclaimed the proud Nimrod, as he swung his burden around.

"Great governor! it's a turkey, as sure as you live!" shouted Josh.

At that Nick could hold in no longer, but began to dance around in
great glee, rubbing himself as though in anticipation of the feast to
come, and making all sorts of suggestive motions, after the manner of a
man feeding.

"How under the sun did you get close enough to knock the big bird down
with a charge of quail shot?" asked Jack, pleased because George had
held up his reputation as a sportsman.

"I don't just know," replied the other. "I was standing in the shade
of a tree, and thinking that it was no use going further, when
something li