a "'longshore boy;" and he took a particular pride in showing
Ford and Frank how many different ways there were of cooking a fish
without an oven or a kettle or a gridiron.

It was another fine point to discover, after they had eaten all they
could, including the cold johnny-cake, that they did not seem to have
made their strings of fish look perceptibly smaller.

"Tell you what, boys," said Dabney: "next time we come out we'll bring a
hammer and nails, and some oakum, and I'll calk up that old punt so
she'll float well enough. Only it won't do to dance in her."

"Then," said Ford, "I move we don't try her again to-day. If we've got
to carry all these fish, it'll be a long pull home. We're not half sure
of catching another ride."

"We can pole our fish, though, and make it easy carrying."

"How's that?"

"I'll show you. Cut two poles, hang your strings half way, shoulder the
poles, and take turns carrying. One boy getting rested, all the while,
and no cords cutting your hands."

That was as sensible as if his own mother had told him; and it was a
good thing he thought of it, for they did not "catch a ride" till they
were half way home. All the wagons were coming the other way, of course,
on Saturday afternoon; but the one chat then caught up with them had
been carrying a new stove home, and was returning empty.

"Fine strings of fish," remarked the stove-man as they clambered in.
"Where'd you catch 'em?"

"Over in one of the lakes."

"Did ye though? You don't say! Guess I know the place. You must have had
an all-killin' walk, though. I declare! I'm goin' to try that pond first
day I get away."

"Want some of these?"

"Wouldn't rob ye,--but you've got a-plenty--that pickerel? Thank ye,
now. Oh!--and the bass tew? You're good fellers."

He seemed to be another; and Dab warned him at parting, that, "when he
wanted to get a string of fish, if he'd come to him he'd tell him just
where to go."

"All right. Glad I had the luck to ketch up with ye."

"Dab," said Ford as they reached the outskirts of Grantley, "I know it's
late; but we must walk through the village with these fish, if it's only
to have the whole town ask us where we caught them."

"That's so. I'm rested now too. Let's get right out."

They were nearly at the southerly end of the village, and there was
quite a walk before them.

"Dab," said Frank, "we've more fish than we'll need at our house, if we
have 'em for breakfast and dinner both."