TWO SPOUTS; OR, OUT FOR A LARK. 229 



pation of making such a trip himself. At the fisherman's 

 they pick out their boat. Hans says : " Take vone mit 

 dight row-looks, pound mit ledder." " No," replies Jim, 

 " We want loose oars ; that's the kind I always use. Here 

 Sport, come here ! " At this call a black dog, half cur, 

 half mastiff, runs briskly forward, and Jim helps him 

 into the boat. Hans stood looking admiringly at the 

 boat, and said : " Shim ! dot's a nice poat you bick 

 ouwit." 



" Yes," says" Jim, " she's a daisy. I'm a little gone on 

 color, and that bright red with white on her sides is just 

 my style." 



Hans appeared in great distress about something, and 

 remarking : " Conner und blitzen ! I haf der grub for- 

 gotten," away he went home after it. Jim was too 

 much disgusted to say much, and muttered to himself 

 something about somebody who couldn't see after four 

 o'clock. 



They were now off, gaily they rowed down the stream, 

 Jim in the stern, Hans at the oars. " Gurracious ! " 

 exclaimed Hans, " I vender phwat der madder mit der 

 visherman vas ? See how he bumps his arm oop and 



down. Must pe a pig vire in town." " I'll bet we have 

 forgotten something," said Jim. " Where's my gun ? " 



Sure enough, the gun had been left on the bank. Each 

 blamed the other, They rowed back, nearly a quarter 

 of a mile, against a strong current. The fisherman 

 handed them the gun with a smile, and joked them be- 

 cause of their fdrgetfulness. Again they started, headed 

 for the "Docia," seven miles down stream. At the 

 mouth they saw ducks flying in all directions, but none 

 came near them. That red boat wasn't as enticing to 

 them as it was to Jim, and the thumping oars warned all 



