"Well," said Paul, "if this crazy man would steal our fish, he'd just as
lief take anything else we've got that's good to eat. When he smells our
coffee cooking it'll call up some long-forgotten craving for the Java
bean; and first thing you know he'll be invading our camp every night,
hunting around for any old thing he can steal."

"Now, I like that," said Bobolink, satirically. "Nice prospect, ain't it,
not to be able to step out of the tent of nights, without bumping noses
with that awful Man Friday in wild animal shows? P'raps in self-defense
we may have to do that grand capture act after all, Paul."

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

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

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