"You see," explained Jack, "it didn"t seem the right thing to us that such pretty girls should sail in such a shabby boat."
"Well, all I have to say is that you boys are perfect darlings to go to all this trouble for us," declared Bess emphatically.
"It looks like
""An ivory shallop, silken-sailed,""
quoted Belle.
"Except that there are no sails," laughed Cora. "But the ivory part is all right. Really, girls, it looks almost too pretty to use. Talk about Cleopatra"s barge!"
"There was only one queen on that, while we have three," grinned Walter.
"But come along, girls. I want you to catch those fish, so I can show you what a peach of a cook I am."
The girls went on board in high glee, Paul cast off the moorings, Jack started the engine to chugging, and Walter this time took charge of the wheel.
The _Water Sprite_ darted off proudly, as though conscious she was looking her best. The boys had not been content with mere decoration, but had made a thorough job of fixing the hull as well, and this time there was no danger of wet feet.
They went down the lake some distance, and then Jack stopped the engine, and the _Water Sprite_ floated about lazily, while they baited the hooks and threw out the lines.
"I"ve got a bite," said Jack suddenly.
"Does it hurt?" asked Walter solicitously.
Bess giggled, and the others joined in when Jack hauled up a lot of dripping weeds.
"Old Izaak Walton had nothing on you as a fisherman," chaffed Paul.
But the laugh was on him a moment later, when a voracious pickerel made off with his hook and sinker, and he ruefully pulled up his broken line.
Cora was the first to score, landing a big flopping perch to an accompaniment of little squeals from Bess and Belle.
From that time on the luck was good, and before long they had a number of perch and pickerel, together with enough ba.s.s to supply all they needed for an abundant dinner.
"I guess we"re pretty well fixed now," said Jack, as he eyed the pile of fish. "What do you say now to hustling along and giving Walter a chance to make good on that frying proposition? I think he"s bragging, if you ask me."
"You do, eh?" retorted Walter. "If you clean the fish as well as I cook them there"ll be nothing left to ask for."
They started up the boat again, and before long were near the end of the lake. They went along slowly, trying to find the special place that Cora had referred to.
"There it is!" she exclaimed at length. "See! Right in that little cove."
She pointed to a little indentation in the sh.o.r.e where the trees had thinned out so as to leave an open s.p.a.ce carpeted with velvety, springing turf. Near by, a tiny promontory extended into the water, and here it was deep enough for the _Water Sprite_ to float without touching bottom.
"What a lovely spot!" exclaimed Belle.
"A little bit of Eden," seconded her sister.
"And a dandy place to land," commented Jack. "We can fasten a rope to that tree and step ash.o.r.e without having to wade."
The boys helped the girls ash.o.r.e, and followed them, bringing along their catch.
While the girls emptied the contents of the lunch basket and spread the good things about in a shady spot, Walter gathered some wood, dug a hole in the ground and lighted a roaring fire. As the flames died down he carefully raked the embers into the hole, until he had a small furnace that gave forth an intense heat.
Then he prepared a skillet of oak twigs dexterously twisted together, and was ready. Jack and Paul in the meantime had been cleaning the fish.
"Hurry up, you common laborers," ordered Walter in a lordly tone. "Don"t keep an artist waiting."
A fish-head whizzed past his ear and he hastily sought refuge behind a tree.
"Bad shooting," he taunted.
"Good enough to make you duck," retorted Jack.
"While these rough-necks are disturbing the peace," drawled Walter, "it might be a good idea to get some of those blackberries up there. They"ll come in handy for dessert."
He pointed to a group of bushes about a hundred feet distant.
"I"ll go," volunteered Belle, rising to her feet. "You girls go on getting things ready. This lunch basket is empty now and I"ll take it along for the berries."
She started to pick busily, while Walter, taking the fish that had been cleaned, began to broil them over the fire.
A delicious, tantalizing savor rose from the oak skillets, and promised to justify all that Walter had claimed for his cooking.
"Hurry up, Belle!" called Cora. "Walter"s nearly finished now, and we"re all ravenous."
"I"ll be with you in a minute," sang out Belle, "but there"s one big bush here that"s just dying to be picked."
She moved toward it, but stopped in fright as she heard a grunt and snort on the other side of the bush.
The next instant she found herself looking into the eyes of a big black bear!
CHAPTER XX THE GREEDY MARAUDER
For a moment Belle stood paralyzed with fright.
The bear gazed at her unwinkingly, and his hair began to rise slowly on his head as he gave vent to a savage growl.
Then Belle screamed wildly, dropped her basket, which was half full of berries, and ran towards the other members of the party, who had risen and rushed to meet her.
"What is it?" they cried in chorus.
"A bear!" shrieked Belle, pointing to the thicket. "Oh, run, run!"
And at this moment the bear emphasized the wisdom of this advice by shambling into full sight.