er in search for the remarkable motor boat on
which he, Tony, seemed an honored guest.

"I wonder if I could catch any fish here?" remarked Larry, who could
not forget the success that had attended his previous efforts in the
"hook and pole" line.

"Plenty everywhere along here, I should guess," remarked Phil. "So
suppose you get busy, and see if you can't pull up a supper for the
crowd. Fact is, old chum, you're rapidly developing into a second
class scout. When you get back North you will know so much that
they'll just have to get you a medal to wear. And the marks on the
sleeve of your khaki jacket will about reach from your shoulder to your
elbow, you'll qualify for so much."

"Aw! quit jollying me, Phil," chuckled Larry, who nevertheless seemed
to enjoy the novel sensation of being complimented on his newly
acquired knowledge in the line of woodcraft.

He was soon busily engaged untangling his fishing line, while Tony went
ashore to hunt for grubs in old logs; and Phil employed himself
otherwise. From time to time the chums exchanged a few words, with
Phil taking Larry to task for persisting in calling his jointed bamboo
fishing rod a "pole!"

"That goes well enough with the country boy, who has only a long bamboo
pole, with the string tied at the end," he said, with the air of a
schoolmaster; "but after you reach the point where you use a split
bamboo jointed rod, and a fine rubber reel, it's about time you stepped
up a peg, and gave things their right name."

Larry promised to be more careful in the future.

"There, I've got the tangle all out," he said, with a sigh of relief;
"and here comes Tony with some bait. What is it you've got? Bully for
you, Tony! My! what a nice assortment of fat grubs. I just bet you
the bass will grab at 'em like hot cakes. And strange to say, I'm
actually feeling a little hungry myself at the thought of supper.
Well, here goes for business."

He went to the stern of the boat to cast out. Not just fancying the
way the boat happened to lie, Larry picked up the setting pole, and
started to push a little. In doing so he happened to thrust the pole
into the water. Perhaps he was only trying to see how deep the river
was at that point; at least he afterwards declared he had no other idea
than that.

Phil, occupied in the little task which he had laid out for himself,
paid no particular attention to Larry for several minutes. He was
suddenly startled by a shrill sc