resh leaves. In order to take home enough
in our two baskets, we trod it down with our feet very solidly; and when
at length they were heaped full, each was heavy.

"I wish Ellen could have come, to help us home with it," said Addison.
"There ought to be two to each basket, one on each side, and so change
hands once in a while."

"Are we going to fish now?" I asked.

"Well, but you see the sun is nearly down," replied Addison. "It is
getting late in the afternoon for fishing, and we have a hard job before
us, to tote these baskets home. Besides, Halse has fished away down past
us, in all the good holes. I guess we had better not stop this time, but
wait for a lowery day.

"Come, help carry these baskets home!" he shouted to Halstead, who was
now near the lower end of the meadow. But the latter was very intent at
a trout-hole into which he had just dropped his hook, and did not
respond. We waited a few minutes, then shouldered the baskets, and
carrying our shovels in our free hands, set off. At first the basket did
not seem very heavy; but, by the time I had gone half a mile, I found
myself very tired. Addison, however, plodded sturdily forward with his
basket, and after resting for a few moments, I toiled on in his wake.

Presently Halse overtook us.

"Hullo, shirk!" Addison called out. "How many fish?"

Halstead held up a pretty string of fourteen.

"Well, you've had all the fun so far," said Addison. "Now let's see you
carry one of these baskets."

"What a fuss about a little basket of green stuff!" exclaimed Halstead
contemptuously; and throwing mine on his shoulder, he started on at a
great pace.

Before he had got as far as the "calf pasture," however, he began to
lag, fell behind and at length set down the basket.

"What was the use of stuffing them so full!" he grumbled. "There was no
need of so much."

A few rods farther on, he again set the basket down on a rock. Addison
turned round and laughed at him. "What's the matter with that 'little
basket of green stuff?'" he exclaimed.

"But there's no need of so much!" cried Halstead, and he threw out a
part of it before going on. I gathered up what he threw out and followed
behind him. When we came to the stone wall between the pasture and the
southwest field, Halse set the basket down and hurried on past Addison
to the house, in advance of us.

"He has run ahead to show his trout and tell a fine story," said
Addison, with a laugh. "That's the way h