of them certainly stood in great need.

At last Rob gave signs of making a move.

"Now, if you fellows will come back along the road a little ways with
me," he announced with a smile, "I've got something to propose. I only
hope you fall in with my views, for then there's a chance that we'll
have something to eat."

"Oh! you can count on me agreeing with you, Rob!" said Tubby
cheerfully. "No matter whether it's fur, fin, or feather, I think I
could do justice to nearly anything that grows."

"As it happens, it's something that doesn't fly or walk that I have in
my mind," Rob declared rather mysteriously. "The fact is, it hops!"

"Now you have got me worse balled up than ever," protested Tubby, his
brow wrinkled with his endeavor to guess the answer.

"I think I know," volunteered Merritt, grinning amicably.

"What does he mean, then? Please hurry and tell me," pleaded Tubby.

"Frogs, isn't it, Rob?" demanded the other.

"Oh! gingersnaps and popguns! Do I have to come down to choosing between
eating jumpers and starving to death?" complained the fat boy, looking
distressed.

"Well, wait till you get your first taste, that's all," Rob told him.
"If you don't say it beats anything you ever took between your teeth,
I'm mistaken, and that's all there is about it. Why, they're reckoned
one of the fanciest dishes in all the high-class clubs in America, along
with diamond-back terrapin, canvas-back duck, and such things. The only
thing I'm afraid about is that after you get your first taste you'll
want to hog the whole supply."

"But how shall we catch the frogs, and then cook them?" asked Merritt.

"The first ought to be easy," replied Rob, "seeing how plentiful they
are, and how big and tame. I see a dandy piece of wood that would make a
good bow with a piece of stout cord I've got in my pocket. Merritt, get
some of those straight little canes, growing on the edge of the water.
We can make them do for arrows, and, even without feathers, I think I
can hit a big frog with one at ten paces away. It'll be fun as well as a
profitable business. Frog-hunters, get busy now."

"Here's a long pole, Rob. Shall I take it and steal up close enough to
whack a few of the jumpers on the head?" asked Tubby, now entering into
the spirit of the game.

Being given permission, and warned not to make too big a noise, lest he
frighten all the frogs into jumping, he set about his task. After
several failures he finally brought one mon