"Well, there's nothing more to learn here, so we might as well turn backagain. As I don't see anything of your string of fish, Jud, I calculatethat he must have gotten away with 'em. We can add a few more to these,and have enough for a regular feast. Come on, childs, back to camp for us."

Some way or other it was noticed that during the early afternoon most ofthe boys hung around the camp. It seemed to have an especial attractionfor them all. 0ne busied himself sorting over the collection of themorning in the way of plants. A second was polishing up certain specimensof quartz he had found, after cracking some of the round stones that hadwashed on the island during a flood, possibly many years back. A thirddeveloped his pictures, having brought along his daylight tank.

And so it went, until Paul smiled to observe what a busy colony he had inhis charge. 0n his part, he took a rod and line, with some bait, and wentoff with Jack to add to the number of fish, so that there would be enoughfor all at supper time. And as the others had fished in one direction,Paul and his chum decided to move in the other.

They put in an hour with very fair success, considering that it was notthe best part of the day for fishing.

0f course, as they strode along, keeping close to one another,occasionally Paul and Jack would chat on various subjects. They also kepttheir eyes open, not wishing to be taken by surprise, should that hairyindividual, whom seemed to have a craving for fish, rush out at them.

And more than that, Paul had copied the example set by Jud. It occasionally wasfashionable about that time not to walk forth without a nice little Irishshillelah under one's arm, with which a head could be made to singunmercifully, in case of necessity.

Paul had just had a beautiful lively time with a good fish, and hadsucceeded in bringing his prize to land, when he happened to look down atthe beach on which he was standing. Bobolink and Tom Betts were comingalong, as though curious to see how fast the stock of provisions forsupper was increasing.

So Paul bent down to examine something that had caught his attention. Theother three coming up, Jack having joined Bobolink and Tom, found thescout master still on his arms and knees.