the boat. Maybe we can hitch on behind Steve Porter's launch--he's
going up past Dead Tree Point--and that'll save us the long pull
through the slough."

The boys picked up the great load of luggage, which was not so big
when divided among four boys, and hustled out of the Ring yard and
down the dusty road. They were four of a size; that is, Tod Fulton
was tall and somewhat flattened out, while Frank Ellery was more or
less all in a bunch, as Jerry said, who was himself sturdily put
together. Dave Thomas was neither as tall as Tod nor as stocky as
Frank; He looked undersized, in fact. But his "red hair and readier
tongue," his friends declared, more than made up for any lack of
size. At any rate, no one ever offered a second time to carry the
heaviest end of the load.

Now, as they walked along through the back streets of Watertown,
rightly named as it was in the midst of lakes, creeks and rivers,
they began a discussion that never grew old with them. Tod began it.

"We've got plenty of worms, for once."

"Good!" cried Dave. "I've thought of a dandy scheme, but it'd take a
pile of bait."

"What's that?" asked Jerry, suspecting mischief.

"You know, you can stretch out a worm to about three inches. Tie
about a hundred together--allow an inch apiece for the knot--that
would make two hundred inches, or say seventeen feet. Put the back
end of the line about a foot up on the bank and the other end out in