r, that much nearer to the fisher, and in earnest
conversation with him as he watched his float.

Once more the memory of words that had been spoken to him came to
Dexter, but the bobbing of the float, and the excitement of capturing a
fish, drove the thoughts away--the fascination of the fishing, and the
pleasant excitement of meeting a companion of near his own age, cut off,
as he was, from the society of boys, being too much for him; and he was
soon eagerly listening, and replying to all that was said.

"Ever go fishing in a boat?" said Bob, after a time.

"No."

"Ah! you should go in a boat," said Bob. "You sit down comfortable,
with your feet all dry, and you can float over all the deep holes and
best places in the river, and catch all the big fish. It's lovely!"

"Did you ever fish out of a boat?" asked Dexter.

"Did I ever fish out of a boat? Ha! ha! ha! Lots of times. I'm going
to get a boat some day, and have a saucepan and kettle and plate and
spoon, and take my fishing-tackle, and then I shall get a gun or a
pistol, and go off down the river."

"What for!"

"What for? Why, to live like that, catching fish, and shooting wild
ducks and geese, and cooking 'em, and eating 'em. Then you have a
'paulin and spread it over the boat of a night, and sleep under it--and
there you are!"

Dexter looked at the adventurous being before him in wonder, while he
fished on and talked.

"I should make myself a sail, too, and then I shouldn't have to row so
much; and then I could go right on down to the end of the river, and
sail away to foreign countries, and shoot all kinds of wonderful things.
And then you could land sometimes and kill snakes, and make yourself a
hut to live in, and do just as you liked. Ah, that is a fine life!"

"Yes," said Dexter, whose eager young mind rapidly painted an
illustration to everything his companion described.

"A man I know has been to sea, and he says sometimes you come to places
where there's nothing but mackerel, and you can almost ladle 'em out
with your hands. I should boil 'em over a fire. They are good then."

Dexter's eyes grew more round.

"Then out at sea you have long lines, and you catch big cod-fish, and
soles almost as big as the boat."

"And are you going to have a boat?"

"To be sure I am. I get tired of always coming out to catch little
roach and dace and eels. I mean to go soon."

Dexter sighed.

"That man says when you go far enough away, y