The Go Ahead Boys in the Island Camp Part 18

"Just like mine," interposed Grant.

"I finally got disgusted," continued George. "It didn't seem to be any use in my trying any longer and I thought that a trout would be an awful fool to bite that silly looking fly anyway. I've always fished with worms and I didn't see why I couldn't catch trout with worms for bait. I decided to try it anyway, so I rolled over an old log and dug under it with my knife. It wasn't long before I had a couple of big fat fellows and I soon put one on the hook and took the fly off.

"Well, I fished with the worms for a while but nothing happened and I began to get pretty well discouraged. I quit fis.h.i.+ng and lay down on my stomach to get a drink out of one of the pools. The water was just as clear as crystal and just as I lay down I saw a big old trout shoot under a big rock at the bottom of the pool. That proved there were trout in there anyway.

"The rock where he disappeared was right beneath me and I picked up my line with the big worm still on the hook and let it down just as quietly as I could until it was right in front of the rock. Nothing happened for a long time and I thought the trout was gone, but all of a sudden I saw him again."

"Were you holding the line in your hand?" inquired Grant.

"Yes; it was just like a drop line. The rod was lying in back of me on the ground and all I had done was to let out a lot of line. Well, the old trout sort of poked his nose out and took a look around. He went up to the worm and took a smell of it; at least that's the way it looked.

He didn't bite it though and a second later he went whizzing back underneath the rock again. I thought he was gone for good but in a few seconds back he came; the worm seemed to attract him even if he didn't try to eat it. He kept hanging around it all the time, sort of sniffing at it first one side and then the other.

"All of a sudden I had an idea."

"Whew," whistled Fred softly.

"I decided," continued George paying no attention to the interruption, "that I'd try to pull the line up all of a sudden and hook him in the stomach. I didn't see why such a thing wasn't possible and I meant to try it the first chance I had. Old Mr. Trout still hung around the worm but it seemed as if he was never going to get right over the hook.

Finally he started to swim away slowly and I thought it was all over. He only went a few feet though and then turned back. The worm seemed to fascinate him.

"He went right up to the hook and sort of looked it over again; then he turned his back on it so to speak, and kept perfectly still, just wiggling his fins. I lowered the hook a little and he never moved. I lowered it a little more and held it there. All at once he turned leisurely around and came right square over the hook. I yanked the line with all my might and there he is."

George pointed proudly to the big trout lying at his feet.

"That's a great way to fish for trout," exclaimed Fred in disgust.

"That's all right, Pop," laughed Grant. "You caught him anyway, didn't you?"

"I surely did. I told Fred I'd beat him out and I did it. Why, Fred, you little shrimp, I'd have put salt on his tail and caught him that way if it was necessary in order to take some of the conceit out of you."

"Bah!" exclaimed Fred in disgust.

CHAPTER XII-A CHALLENGE

Two more days the boys spent among the streams and the trout pools. At the end of that time their supply of food was running low and they decided to return to their island camp.

The return trip was made without any mishap and when they entered the little lake where their island was situated, their tent, standing out prominently on the little bluff where it was pitched, was a welcome sight to all.

"It looks pretty good, doesn't it?" exclaimed John proudly.

"It certainly does," agreed Fred. "I'm sort of glad to be back again."

"We had a great time though," said George enthusiastically. "There's one more trip I want to take this summer too."

"What's that?" inquired Fred.

"I'd like to climb that mountain over there."

The four young campers turned their heads and gazed at the peak George indicated, towering high over the lake.

"That's a go," exclaimed Grant readily. "I think that it would be good fun."

"So do I," agreed John. "Let's do it soon too."

"Do you suppose it will be very hard work?" asked Fred.

"Of course it will," said George. "You wouldn't let that hold you back though, would you?"

"Not at all, but I don't want you fellows to get the idea that it will be any easy job. The mountain looks nice and green and smooth from here because it's all covered with trees, but when we get there we'll find it's pretty rough going. Ravines and gullies and steep cliffs and everything else like that will be there to hold us back."

"All the better," exclaimed George. "Then when we reach the top we'll feel as if we had accomplished something."

"We'll do it anyway," said Grant and every one else agreed with him.

Soon they reached their destination. The Balsam still rode at anchor in the little harbor and everything seemed to be as the boys had left it.

In a few moments the canoes had been drawn up on sh.o.r.e and their contents unloaded. Grant in the lead, they made their way towards the tent.

He disappeared inside the tent and before his companions had come up with him, reappeared holding a paper in his hand.

"What have you got there?" inquired George curiously.

"I don't know. I found it inside the tent."

"See what it is," exclaimed George.

"It's a challenge of some kind, I think," said Grant after a hasty glance at the sheet which he held.

"A challenge?" exclaimed John. "Not for a fight, I hope."

"Not as bad as that," laughed Grant. "It's an athletic challenge."

"Who from?" demanded Fred.

"I don't know yet," said Grant. "Give me a chance."

"Read it out loud," urged John. "That's the best way."

"We, the undersigned," read Grant, "hereby challenge the four boys who are camping on the island in the middle of the lake to a set of water sports. The events are to be decided upon by mutual agreement and are to be as many in number as may be agreed upon. We suggest that they include a sailing race, a canoe race, and a swimming race. The day for the sports is to be decided later and on Monday morning we will come over to see you and arrange the details.

Signed, Thomas Adams.

Franklin Dunbar.

Hugh McNeale.

Herbert Halsey."

"Who are they, do you suppose?" exclaimed John.