Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/206

 word, I know, but it expresses my meaning all the same—and give them a flavor also. It would make the fish more palatable, too. My advice to you is, always take a chunk of bacon with you if you are going to cook your dinner in the woods."

"What's he doing?" inquired Ralph, nodding toward Joe Wayring, who stood around with his hands in his pockets, now and then elevating his chin and sniffing the air like a pointer that had struck a fresh scent.

Arthur laughed heartily.

"Joe's timing the fish," was his reply. "When they smell so good that he can't wait any longer, he will know they are done; and then dinner will be ready. It's rather a novel way, I confess, but Joe hits it every pop."

This was the first time that Tom and his cousins had ever sat down to a meal that was composed of nothing but fish and meat, but it tasted much better than they thought it would. Perhaps the reason was because they were hungry. At any rate they disposed of all that was placed before them, and would have asked