JOHN ATWOOD. 31 



above it, was swung around two or three times, and away 

 it went with a plunk, and a new style of fishing was ac- 

 quired, much to Reuben's disgust; but the majority of the 

 boys about Greenbush seemed to prefer this mode. The 

 fish that we took in the Hudson then were white and yel- 

 low perch, bullheads, shiners, eels, spawn-eaters (which 

 were small minnows), and an occasional sucker; but John 

 knew of the mud creek and the dead creek, a couple of 

 miles down the river, where the fish were larger and more 

 plentiful. The "dead creek" was a short inlet from the 

 river running only a few hundred yards into the island, 

 but the "mud creek," as we boys called it, was some five 

 miles long and formed the island; this was the bayou 

 which we knew later as the "Popskinny." 



One Friday morning, while on the way to school, John 

 was met. Two boys were with him, and they were on 

 the way to the mud creek with all equipments. It was 

 in the spring of the year, and John said : 



"Come along and have some good fishin'; I wouldn't 

 go to school when the fish are biting as they are now. 

 We are going to stay till Sunday night, and have three 

 days' fishin' and birds'-nestin'. Come along; you're a 

 fool if you don't." 



"Where will you sleep?" 



"In Rivenburg's barn, in the hay; it's good and warm, 

 and we got lots o' grub an' lines." 



Here was temptation in very strong shape, but the 

 consequences loomed up. His mother was a widow, 



mine was not. I could square it with mother, but . 



After some debate the books were left at the schoolhouse, 

 a hasty note written to mother, saying that I would be 

 home Sunday night, and we went. 



Such fun! John cooked fish over coals of fire, we 

 covered ourselves in the hay at night, and the crickets 



