oon said he'd always noticed that a fellow mostly whistled when he
wasn't afraid, but for his part he couldn't get to that boat any too
soon. And pretty soon they did get to it, and Mr. 'Possum was the first
one to pile in, though Mr. Dog wasn't anywhere in sight.

[Illustration]

Well, they pushed off and Jack Rabbit took one oar and Mr. 'Coon the
other, while the 'Possum sat on the back seat and baited his hook so's
to catch the first fish. Then, when they got out to where Mr. 'Coon said
the good place was, they all went to fishing, and Mr. 'Possum did get
the first bite, but he didn't get anything else when he pulled. Mr.
'Coon told him he pulled too quick, and Jack Rabbit told him he didn't
pull quick enough, and asked him if he expected the fish to climb out on
his pole. Then Mr. Rabbit had a bite himself, and pulled and didn't get
anything, either. Of course, that made Mr. 'Possum laugh, and then, all
at once, the 'Coon had a great big bite that took his float away down
out of sight the first grab.

Mr. 'Coon let him go for a minute and then gave a hard pull and
commenced to call out that he had him this time and that he'd show Mr.
Crow now about only getting fish to the top of the water and having
canned salmon for dinner. Then he stood up in the boat and pulled as
hard as ever he could till all of a sudden his line broke, and down he
went backwards, right on top of Mr. 'Possum, while the Rabbit swung his
hook over where the 'Coon's hook had been and the big fish grabbed it
before you could say Jack Robinson.

That was too bad for the 'Coon and the 'Possum, of course, and it wasn't
as much fun for Jack Rabbit as you might suppose, for he couldn't get
the big fish out to save his life, and he had to hold on to the boat to
keep from being pulled into the lake. Then he called to the others to
help him, and they both got up and took hold of the pole and hauled in
hand over hand till they got to the line, and that was as far as they
could get. So Mr. Rabbit gave the line a twist or two around the iron
ring in the front of his boat, and the big fish started straight for
shore, dragging the boat and everybody in it behind him, just as hard as
ever he could go. Then Mr. 'Coon and Jack Rabbit commenced to quarrel
about whose fish it was, and Mr. 'Possum said he didn't care whose it
was, he was getting a free ride, and he laid back and laughed and looked
at the shore, when all of a sudden he happened to spy there, sitti