ne about two feet long to the end, with one of the
hooks attached; and then fix a small clipping of the red stuff to the
hook. When you see a big greenback on the edge of the water sneak up
behind him, lower the flannel gently until it dangles in front of him,
and you'll see some of the funniest happenings you ever set eyes on;
that is they'll be funny to you, but death to the frog."

"I've caught 'em that way many a time," Steve told them. "Sometimes the
old frog will crouch down like a cat sneaking up on a sparrow, and then
make a fling up at the bright thing, which I reckon he thinks must be a
juicy sort of a bug. As soon as he feels the barb of the hook he tries
to climb up the line and jump all around like a trapeze performer. But
only a cruel fellow would stand and watch him suffer. I always try to
knock him on the head instanter, and get his boots in my creel."

"That's the only way," Max added, approvingly. "Even a sportsman can be
merciful to his game by putting it out of pain as quick as possible."

"I always do when I've shot anything I want for food," Bandy-legs vowed.

"And me, I always c-c-carry a little c-c-club along when I g-g-go
fishing," Toby declared, proudly.

"Hear him, fellows?" exclaimed Bandy-legs, pretending not to understand;
"he must think he's a policeman, and meaning to knock every sleeping
tramp on the soles of his feet to wake him up."

"It's to k-k-knock the fish on the h-h-head after you've c-c-caught the
same!" Toby hastened to inform him, grandly, as became a humane
sportsman.

"Any more coffee in that pot, Max?" Steve asked, passing his cup along,
for he certainly had a weakness for the "ambrosia" as he often called
it, though never allowed more than one helping at home, and then only at
breakfast.

The meal went on to its close, and while in the start it had seemed as
though the eyes of the cooks had been much greater than their capacity
for stowing food away, judging from the minute amount that was wasted it
would seem that they knew better; or else that the average boy's stomach
does stretch away down into his lower extremities, as some people claim.

"That was a hunky-dory supper, all right," Steve admitted, as he lay
lazily back on his blanket, and commenced to pick his teeth after the
manner of one who has dined well, and is perfectly at peace with the
whole world.

"Best I've had since the last time we ate grub together," Bandy-legs
added, as his quota of praise, al