CHAPTER XIII HANS MUELLER'S QUEER CATCH
Lake Nasco was an irregular sheet of water, about three miles long by aquarter of a mile wide. It was not very deep, excepting at one spot nearthe upper end. In the center were several islands, known locally as theCat and Kittens.
The spot the Rover boys had in mind for their camp was located near theupper shore, where a series of rocks ran out to the deep water. Herewould be a good place for the sailboat, and here the fishing would begood and also the swimming.
The whole crowd took turns at rowing, and when the lake was reached Samand Hans got out their fishing outfits and started to troll.
"I don't know if I can catch anything, but if I am successful, we canhave fried fish for supper," said Sam.
"Yum! yum! that would just suit me!" cried Fred. "Fish just caught are somuch better than those from the store."
It was not long before Sam felt a tug on his line. He hauled in quicklyand found a fair-sized perch.
"Hurrah! first luck!" he cried, his face beaming with pleasure.
"Huh! dot ain't mooch of a fish!" was Han's comment. "Chust vait till yousee vot I cotch!"
They continued to troll, and presently Sam hooked a medium-sizedpickerel. The fish was game and he had to play it a little before Dickwas able to bring it in with the net.
"Say, I guess we had better all try our luck," said Tom. "This sportsuits me down to the ground."
"No, Tom, let us get to camp," replied his elder brother. "Remember, wehave got to cut poles for the tent and cut firewood, and do a lot ofthings before we go to bed. You can fish all you please tomorrow."
The boat moved on and soon Hans got a bite. It was another perch, aboutthe size of the one caught by Sam. Then Sam got another, but of adifferent stripe.
Suddenly Hans' line tightened and the German youth stood up in hisexcitement.
"Vait! I got a pite!" he cried. "Say, dot is a pig feller I guess!" headded.
They stopped in their rowing and watched Hans try to land his catch. Hetugged on the line, which grew taut and threatened to snap.
"Play him a little, Hans," suggested Dick. And the line was let outcautiously. Then Hans commenced to reel in once more. Slowly but surelyhis catch came closer.
"What have you got, Hans, a maskalonge!"
"Maybe it's a whale!"
"Or a water snake!"
"Cracious, vos der vater snakes here?" questioned the German boy, turningslightly pale.
"Sure there are," answered Tom, readily. "Some of 'em are fifteen andtwenty feet long."
"Dom, you vos choking."
"No, I'm not choking," answered Tom. "My breath is regular."
"You know vot I mean."
"Oh, pull in the catch!" cried Fred, impatiently.
"That's the talk!" added Sam. "Say, Hans, you've got something big that'ssure."
Slowly but steadily the German youth reeled in, until his bait was withina few feet of the boat. Then from the water came something long and darkand slimy.
"It's a water snake!" yelled Tom.
"Oh my! safe me, somepody!" screamed Hans, and fell back in fright andcame close to falling overboard. "Cut der line! Ton't let him pite me!"
"It's no snake!" said Sam, quickly. "But what is it?"
"I'll soon know," answered Dick, and pulled in on the line a little more.Then the object came alongside the boat and the boys set up a shout.
"A piece of old rope!"
"With a knot for a snake's head!"
"And a rock at the other end. This must have been used by somebody for ananchor."
"That's it!"
"Say, vos you sure dot ain't no vater snake?" asked Hans, timidly. He hadcrawled to the bow of the boat, as far from the line as possible.
"See for yourself, Hans," answered Dick.
Hans went forward cautiously and his eyes opened in wonder. Then a sicklygrin spread over his round face.
"Huh! Dot's a fine fish, ain't he? Say, Sam, vos you goin' to fry him inputter oder in lard alretty?" And at this quaint query all the other boysset up a hearty laugh.
"Guess you'd better give up fishing now," said Dick, after the merrimentwas over. "We've got enough for supper, and the best thing we can do isto reach the end of the lake and fix up our camp for the night. We wanteverything in first-class shape, so that if a storm comes our thingswon't get soaked."
"Oh, don't say storm!" cried Fred. "I don't want to see rain."
"We are bound to get some, Fred, sooner or later."
The fishing outfits were put away, and once more the boat moved over thebosom of the lake. They had passed three other boats and saw one camp onthe north shore.
"Hope we find the Point deserted," said Dick.
"So do I," answered Tom. "We want to camp all by ourselves this time."
It was not long before they came in sight of the shore and the rockyPoint. Not a soul was in sight. They brought the boat around to a littlecove and all leaped ashore. Near at hand was the remains of a campfire,but it looked a week or more old.
"Nobody here," said Dick.
"What an ideal spot for camping!" was Fred's comment, as he gazed around.And he was right. The shore sloped gently down to the water's edge, andwas backed up by a patch of woods. Among the trees were some rocks, andbetween them a spring of clear, cold water. Not far off was the cove,where the sailboat could be tied up.
"Well, what's the first thing to do?" questioned Tom.
"Cut poles for the tent, and also cut some firewood," answered Dick."Bring out the hatchets, fellows!"
Two hatchets had been brought along, and all hands were soon at work,getting the camp into shape and starting a fire. Dick selected the polesfor the tent and cut them down and trimmed them. Fred built the fire, andSam cleaned the fish. Then everybody took a hand at raising the tent andfastening it down tightly with pegs. A trench was dug at the rear of thecanvas covering, so that if it rained the water would run off towards thelake. The tent was a large one, and in the rear they stored their extraclothing and food. Then they cut down boughs for bedding and got outtheir blankets.
"The water is boiling," announced Fred, who had put a kettle on somesticks over the fire.
"Well, now the tent is fixed, we'll have supper," said Dick, who had beenmade leader. "I reckon we are all hungry enough."
"I know I am," said Sam.
"I dink I could eat a leetle," said Hans, winking one eye laboriously.
"Want a piece of fried water snake, Hans?" asked Tom, dryly.
"No, Dom, I dake a steak from dot Pluibusterduster," answered the Germanyouth, with a grin.
Sam knew how to fry fish to perfection, and soon an appetizing odorfilled the air. Fred made the coffee, and boiled some potatoes. They hadbrought along some fresh bread and cut slices from one of the loaves.They also had a few cookies, made by Mrs. Rover.
"Say, this is the best fish I ever tasted!" cried Dick, when they wereeating.
"So I say!" added Fred. "Sam, if you don't mind, I'll take anotherpiece."
"It's the fresh air that tunes up a fellow's appetite," remarked Tom."Stay out a month and you'll want to eat like a horse."
"Nothing the matter with my appetite at any time," murmured Sam. "Oh,Hans, what's the matter?" he demanded, as he saw the German lad throw hishead into the air.
"He's choking!" exclaimed Dick, leaping up in alarm.
"It--it vo--vos ch--chust a fi--fish pone!" gasped Hans. "He got in mineneck sidevays alretty!"
"Better be careful after this," cautioned Dick. "Here, swallow a piece ofdry bread. That will help to carry it down." And it did, and then Hansfelt better.
As night came on the boys prepared their beds and then gathered aroundthe campfire and talked, and told stories. All were in the best of humor,and they talked of their old schooldays at Putnam Hall, and of the jokesplayed on the other boys, and on Josiah Crabtree, and on Peleg Snuggers,the general utility man.
"Those were certainly great d
ays," said Fred, almost sadly. "I wish theycould come back."
"Well, we've got to look ahead, not backwards," answered Dick.
"How some of the fellows have changed," went on Fred. "Just think of whata bully Dan Baxter used to be!"
"Yes, and now he is a real good fellow, and doing well as a commercialtraveler," said Tom.
"It's too bad that Tad Sobber can't turn over a new leaf."
"Maybe he will, some day," came from Sam.
"I don't believe it is in him," answered Dick. "He is not like Dan Baxterwas. Dan got awfully hot-headed at times, but Sobber is a regularknave--one of the oily, sneaking kind."
"Have you seen him since his injunction against the Stanhopes wasdismissed in court?"
"No, but I have heard from him, Fred. He is after that fortune, still."
"What can he do?"
"We don't know. But he is bound to make trouble, some way or other. Itmakes me sick to think of it."
"Then let us talk about something else," said Tom; and then the ladsbranched off into a discussion of how the days to come were to be spent.
"Any big game left around here?" asked Fred.
"Not that I know of, Fred. And you couldn't shoot it anyway--it is out ofseason."
"Maybe we can get some rabbits."
"They aren't of much account this time of year--and they are out ofseason, too. We'll have to depend mostly on fishing."
It was nearly ten o'clock before they turned in. Then Sam was so sleepyhe could hardly keep his eyes open.
"Anybody going to stay on guard?" asked Fred.
"I don't believe it is necessary," answered Tom. "Nobody will disturb usup there."
The fire was allowed to die down, so that it might not set fire to anysurrounding objects, and one after another the boys turned in. Hans wassoon snoring, and presently Fred, Dick and Sam dropped asleep. For somereason Tom could not compose himself, and he turned restlessly from sideto side.
"Guess I must have eaten too hearty a supper," he murmured to himself.But at last he dozed off, to dream of college and a rousing game on thebaseball field.
Dick slept for about an hour. Then, of a sudden, he awoke with a start.He felt a pain in his ankle.
"Wonder what's the matter?" he murmured and sat up. As he did so a weirdgroan reached his ears. He listened intently, and soon the groan wasrepeated.
"Hi! what's that?" he asked aloud. But no answer came to his question.Then came another groan, and now thoroughly alarmed, Dick leaped to hisfeet in the darkness.