The Go Ahead Boys in the Island Camp Part 12

"Wait and see," repeated George confidently.

"Do you know how hard it is to cast a trout fly when you're standing in the middle of a clump of bushes and the branches of trees are in your way all around you?" continued Fred. "Don't you know that it takes almost years of practice to do it so that you are accurate and don't catch your hook on everything in sight?"

"Wait and see," insisted George. "I have a new system."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Fred. "You're a joke."

"Let's go back to camp and stop these two arguing," exclaimed Grant.

"They're at it all day long."

"We like each other all the more because we do it, don't we, Pop?"

demanded Fred laughingly.

"Yes," admitted George, "except that you're awfully conceited at times."

"Come on," urged Grant. "They'll be at it again if we're not careful."

Before many moments had pa.s.sed the Balsam was once more sailing over the clear waters of the lake and in a short time the four boys arrived back at camp. The remainder of the day was spent in planning for the trip they were about to take and in discussing just where they should go. At length an agreement satisfactory to every one was reached, the arrangements were all completed and there was nothing left to do but wait for the morrow in order to start.

The sun had been up but a short time before the camp was astir. Grant set about preparing breakfast while his three companions packed supplies into the two canoes. Food sufficient for three days was loaded on board; blankets were taken along, and trout rods with numerous flies of course were included.

"Breakfast's ready," announced Grant as soon as the work of loading was complete.

"So am I," exclaimed George heartily. "I'm always ready to eat up here."

"Not only 'up here' either," muttered Fred.

"What did you say?" demanded George, wheeling around so as to face the speaker.

"Nothing."

"As usual," laughed George. "Where's the food?"

"Right here," exclaimed Grant. "Let's see you get rid of it."

No second invitation was needed and it was not long before every crumb and morsel that Grant had prepared had disappeared.

"Let's get started," exclaimed George. "All the food is gone so there is no point in staying around here any longer."

"You're right, Pop," laughed John. "I say we go too."

A few moments later the two canoes emerged from the little harbor and started out across the lake, headed northward. Grant and Fred occupied one of them while George and John paddled the other.

"I'm glad you're not in my canoe, Fred," called George gayly. "Small as you are, I'd soon get tired of paddling you around all day."

"Is that so?" snorted Fred. "Well, you're not half as glad as I am for I know that I'd be the one that would have to do all the work and you're too big and fat to make the work pleasant."

"They're at it again, String," laughed Grant. "What shall we do with them?"

"Leave them home," suggested John.

"Oh, we couldn't do that. They'd be like the Kilkenny cats."

"Who were they?" demanded Fred.

"Didn't you ever hear about them?"

"No. Tell me who they were."

"I guess you mean _what_ they were."

"All right, what they were, then."

"Why," said Grant, "they were a couple of cats that loved to fight. One day somebody tied their tails together and hung them over a clothes line. Of course they began to fight right away and they fought so furiously that when it was all over there wasn't a thing left of either of them."

"I suppose you expect me to believe that story," snorted Fred.

"I don't care whether you believe it or not," laughed Grant. "You wanted to hear it, so I told it to you."

"Grant says we're like a couple of cats, Pop," called Fred.

"Tell him he'd better be careful," replied George. "Just because we call each other names doesn't mean that we allow other people to do it."

"Excuse me for interrupting," said John laughingly, "but does any one know where we are going?"

"I do," replied Grant. "We're going up that river you see straight ahead."

"Do you know where that leads to?" inquired Fred.

"Yes. We can paddle up it for about two miles and then we have to make a carry over to another river."

"How long is the carry?" demanded George.

"Oh, about half a mile, I guess."

"Whew!" exclaimed George; "that's a long distance to carry canoes and all the stuff we have in them."

"Getting ready to shirk already, are you?" demanded Fred teasingly.

"Shirk nothing," said George. "Wait and see if I don't do my share."

"Yes and 'wait and see' if you don't catch the biggest trout too,"

taunted Fred. "Why, Pop, you'll be lucky if you catch your breath."

"Wait and see," muttered George darkly.

"Yes, 'wait and see'," echoed Fred. "If you don't stop saying that we'll have to call you, 'Wait and See.'"