suggestion which the Doctor readily assented to. After 

 a short walk the boat landing was reached, when, 

 much to the dismay of the Doctor who had tied his 

 bucket of bait to a boat and sunken it in the stream, 

 the discovery was made that boat and bait were both 

 missing. No greater misfortune could have occurred, 

 for the prospect of starting fishing the next morning 

 without a supply of bait was not a pleasing one, 

 especially when all "the other fellows" were well 

 supplied with this important and necessary adjunct 

 of a fishing trip. Prompt and vigorous search was 

 made for the missing boat and bucket of bait, but 

 no trace of either could be found; and neither of the 

 returning fisherman, who had spent the day on thfe 

 water, could give any clue or offer any balm to the 

 unfortunate Doctor, but with that generosity which 

 is a part of the stock in trade of a true sportsman, 

 it was arranged that some of the others would give 

 the Doctor a supply of bait to start out with the 

 following morning. Upon the return of the party 

 at twilight to the farm house a report was made of 

 the missing boat and bucket of bait, and many theories 

 were advanced as to their disappearance. There was 

 employed on the farm for various light chores a 

 diminutive negro, of about ten years of age, by the 

 name of John. After inquiry it developed that John 

 and a stable companion, somewhat his senior, had been 

 allowed a few hours off that Sunday afternoon and 

 had concluded to take a spin on the river. When 

 this fact was made known suspicion naturally rested 

 upon John and his companion, and to ascertain what 

 had become of the boat and bait, the lawyer member 

 of the party took John in charge and subjected him to 

 a rigid cross examination. John first denied any 



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