and had tied one end of the string to the shaft of the arrow and
the other about his wrist, the girl had unwound the coarse
fishing-line, had baited her own hook, and, squatted on her heels,
was watching her cork with eager eyes; but when the primitive
little hunter crept to the lower end of the pool, and was peering
with Indian caution into the depths, her eyes turned to him.

"Watch out thar!" he called, sharply.

Her cork bobbed, sank, and when, with closed eyes, she jerked with
all her might, a big shining chub rose from the water and landed
on the bank beside her. She gave a subdued squeal of joy, but the
boy's face was calm as a star. Minnows like that were all right
for a girl to catch and even for him to eat, but he was after game
for a man. A moment later he heard another jerk and another fish
was flopping on the bank, and this time she made no sound, but
only flashed her triumphant eyes upon him. At the third fish, she
turned her eyes for approval--and got none; and at the fourth, she
did not look up at all, for he was walking toward her.

"You air skeerin' the big uns," he said shortly, and as he passed
he pulled his Barlow knife from his pocket and dropped it at her
feet. She rose obediently, and with no sign of protest began
gathering an apronful of twigs and piling them for a fire. Then
she began scraping one of the fish, and when it was cleaned she
lighted the fire. The blaze crackled merrily, the blue smoke rose
like some joyous spirit loosed for upward flight, and by the time
the fourth fish was cleaned, a little bed of winking coals was
ready and soon a gentle sizzling assailed the boy's ears, and a
scent made his nostrils quiver and set his stomach a-hungering.