t they had intended as a
joke.

"Come," said Dorothy, soberly. "You boys are not going home?"

"Oh, aren't we?" demanded Gerald.

"Yes; we're going home," Jim said, rather curtly. "Where did you
think we were going--to the village?"

"Oh, come! You must have known Molly and I were only joking?"

"Of course, they knew it," Molly chimed in, in a careless tone.

"There's such a thing as carrying a joke too far," said Gerald.

"No use to argue with a couple of girls, Gerald," said Jim. "Let's
take 'em home and come back to-morrow."

"Suits me," responded his chum. "I hate to think we've had this long
jaunt for nothing, but there's an old saying to the effect that we
must learn by experience."

Their poles "knocked down," and stowed away in their canvas cases,
the boys picked up their coats and prepared to move.

"Oh, I say, this is a shame!" cried Dorothy. "I had counted on having
such a good time."

"So had I," echoed Molly--"such a good time!"

"So had we," said the boys in unison.

"But we didn't," Jim added.

"No; we didn't," echoed Gerald.

"Well, it wasn't our fault," said Dorothy.

"We thought you could take a joke," said Molly.

"We can," Gerald replied. "It's a good joke. We're willing to admit
it's on us. You asked to come; we consented. That was our fault, not
yours."

"Yes," Jim put in, "we thought you knew at least the rudiments of
fishing."

Molly shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, dear, what a fuss over nothing," she groaned. "And to think I
started it all by remarking that fish have no ears. And I'll stand by
my statement. I'm sure I am right."

"No use to argue with a girl," said Jim.

"Not a bit," Gerald replied. "Let's get 'em back to camp."

"I refuse to go!" The fire fairly flashed from Dorothy's eyes. "I
came down here to fish, and fish I shall until I get ready to stop,
and you're a bigger 'it' than I think you are, Molly Breckenridge, if
you let two unruly boys bluff you into doing as they wish."

"Then we'll have to leave you here," said Jim, in the most matter of
fact tone he could muster.

Gerald nodded assent.

Then both boys assumed an independent air, and acted as if they were
going to leave--as much as to say that settled the matter.

"Well, let's be going," said Gerald, casting a sly glance toward
Dorothy, and noticing that she made no move to wind in her line. He
picked up his basket and threw an inquiring glance at Jim.

"Of course, if the girls agree to kee