r. It was a
new experience, and the boys, seeing Tom busily engaged in writing,
told him to do full justice to the theme, for it deserved to be
recorded exactly in the way they saw it.

It was a comfortable night they spent by the pond, in sharp contrast to
the preceding one when flattened out under the rocky ledges. Every one
got a good sound night's sleep, so that when morning came they were in
prime condition for the work of the day.

"We'll stay here to-day and not go on for another twenty-four hours,"
decided the scout master, as they sat around eating breakfast.

"For one I'm glad to hear that," said Felix; "I can hike as well as the
next fellow; but just the same when I'm off for pleasure I don't like
to keep moving all the time. This suits me first-rate. Then I expect to
do some paddling when we find the right sort of a log, with Josh at the
bow casting his flies, and Tom at the stern trolling his phantom minnow
along."

The log needed was easily found, and was rolled down, to be launched in
the pond. A rude paddle was also cut, with the aid of the ax and a
sharp knife. Felix declared he could make it answer the purpose; so
presently the enterprising scouts composing the fishing party went
forth, followed by the best wishes of their mates.

"Fix it so we have a fish dinner to-night, fellows!" Billy Button
called out.

"If you're wise you'll not make up your mouth that way; then there's no
danger of being disappointed," said George. "I never expect anything,
and so I meet with pleasant surprises once in a while."

Perhaps since the days of old Robinson Crusoe a more remarkable fishing
party never started out than that one. The three boys had taken off
shoes and socks, and rolled up their trousers above their knees.
Straddling the log, Felix used his paddle, and, sure enough, the clumsy
craft moved along fast enough to answer their desires.

Tom let out his line and trolled, while Josh began to cast with great
animation, sending his trailing flies close to the shore, and drawing
them toward him in fine style.

Presently he struck and managed to land a fair-sized bass. Then Tom
caught a larger one on his imitation minnow. The fun began to wax
furious, so that once both the anglers chanced to be busily engaged
with fish they had hooked at the same time.

It was while this was going on, and their string had already reached
respectable proportions, that the boys on the log heard a sound far
away, up on th