heard a hail from the bank as he made his first cast. It was from
Dave.

"Mind if I come out and try my luck beside you?"

"Not at all. Water's coming up fast. Best try some grubs or worms,
though. No good for minnows here now."

"Sure," agreed Dave, settling comfortably beside him. "Water sure is
filling up, isn't she? Guess the Miller of the Dee dropped a
cogwheel into his wheat."

"Not wishing anybody any bad luck, but I hope they don't start up
again all day. This'll be a backwater as soon as the current starts
going over the dam. Another six inches--say! Look at Tod. If he
isn't fishing right above the flume. Wonder if he's noticed."

"Noticed? He's got a bite, that's what! Look at him bending to it.
It's a big one, you bet. Golly, did you see that!"

"I see more than that," exclaimed Jerry grimly, dropping his
precious pole and starting across the slippery rocks on the run. "If
he doesn't get out of there in about thirty seconds, he's going over
the dam!"

But just as Jerry mounted the last clump of rocks, just as Dave's
desperate shouts had aroused Tod to a realization of his danger,--
something happened. You have watched a big soap bubble swelling the
one last impossible breath; you have seen a camp coffee kettle
boiling higher and higher till _splush!_ the steaming brown mass