eft out. And thin there's
days whin the wind has to do, and the light. We ought to change places
ivery hour."

"There's nothing fair in that either," broke in Dannie. "I might have
him tolled up to my place, and juist be feedin' him my bait, and here
you'd come along and prove by your watch that my time was up, and take
him when I had him all ready to bite."

"That's so for you!" hurried in Jimmy. "I'll be hanged if I'd leave a
place by the watch whin I had a strike!"

"Me either," said Dannie. "'Tis past human nature to ask it. I'll tell
ye what we'll do. We'll go to work and rig up a sort of a bridge where
it's so narrow and shallow, juist above Kingfisher shoals, and then
we'll toss up fra sides. Then each will keep to his side. With a decent
pole either of us can throw across the pool, and both of us can fish as
we please. Then each fellow can pick his bait, and cast or fish deep as
he thinks best. What d'ye say to that?"

"I don't see how anything could be fairer than that," said Jimmy. "I
don't want to fish for anything but the Bass. I'm goin' back and get
our rubber boots, and you be rollin' logs, and we'll build that
crossing right now."

"All richt," said Dannie.

So they laid aside their poles and tackle, and Dannie rolled logs and
gathered material for the bridge, while Jimmy went back after their
boots. Then both of them entered the water and began clearing away
drift and laying the foundations. As the first log of the crossing
lifted above the water Dannie paused.

"How about the Kingfisher?" he asked. "Winna this scare him away?"

"Not if he ain't a domn fool," said Jimmy; "and if he is, let him go!"

"Seems like the river would no be juist richt without him," said
Dannie, breaking off a spice limb and nibbling the fragrant buds.
"Let's only use what we bare need to get across. And where will we fix
fra Mary?"

"Oh, git out!" said Jimmy. "I ain't goin' to fool with that."

"Well, we best fix a place. Then we can tell her we fixed it, and it's
all ready."

"Sure!" cried Jimmy. "You are catchin' it from your neighbor. Till her
a place is all fixed and watin', and you couldn't drag her here with a
team of oxen. Till her you are GOING to fix it soon, and she'll come to
see if you've done it, if she has to be carried on a stritcher."

So they selected a spot that they thought would be all right for Mary,
and not close enough to disturb the Bass and the Kingfisher, rolled two
logs, and fished a