The Rival Campers Ashore

t, and its waters were ever cold, even in hottest summer, save in one or two open places in the intervening meadows. It was called "Cold Broo

ast by sticks. He might gaze for many minutes and see no sign of life or motion to them. Then, perchance, one of these same grey shadows might disappear in the twinkling of an eye; the obs

f these fish. They were too wary; "educated," the farm

ucked inside his blouse; but he wouldn't tell how he got 'em-not even to Jack

n might cast a line and draw out a fish. But that was just the very part of all

a pool, formed by a small dam thrown across the brook between banks that were quite steep. This pool broadened out in its w

as though they had just been let out of school. Try to catch one-and if Fa

jewels. John and James Ellison, Farmer Ellison's sons, and Benjamin, their cousin, fished the pool once in a great while-and got soundly trounced if caught. It wa

cades which a lusty trout could ascend by a fine series of rushes and leapings. The upper water-fall was too steep to be scaled. When the water in

on a hill overlooking this part of t

d come eventually upon a house, weather-beaten and unpainted, small and showing every sign of neglect. The grass grew long in the dooryard. A few h

Harvey in the mill. It revealed a girl, little, sturdy and of well-knit figure, though in whose childish face there was an underlying t

easily depressed by her surroundings, for she whistled at her task,-as good as any boy could have whistled,-and now and aga

ame a querulous voice presently, from an

the child. "The coffee's hot, too. Don'

queried

," said

ed a cup of coffee, dished out a mess of the porridge, and carried it all into the next room.

, consolingly. "If they last to-morrow, I'm going to tell

e cares! Says he pays me too much now for cooking; an

ild. "I'd buy the bigg

woman. "Why, you've o

, solemnly. "But I'd just l

erself up on an elbow, with a jerk that brought forth an exclamation of pain

n?" suggest

ened off toward the hill. "Oh, he bought it all right. He paid for it, I suppose. But it's

n't own it now, if tha

ered the woman. "Get your own

aid the child, as she w

ntons had gone wild and run through their farm property; mortgaged it and sold it out; and that E

in at the door, "will we e

the answer. "It's ours now, by ri

ow, and still gazed as she drank her coffee and ate her scanty supper. She was

east, but the sun had not begun to roll above the hill-tops when the child stole quietly out of bed, slipped into her few g

she said. "I'll get her something,-and something she'l

out through the neglected garden to an old apple-tree, against which there leaned a long slender alder pole, with a li

at. But, with the coolness of the hour, they seemed to have some of old Grannie Thornton's rheumatism in their joints, for

on the side where she walked was boggy. Gazing sharply for some moments up at the big house on the hill, the

softly to the water's edge, on good, firm footing. The girl did this, seated herself on a little

trout," she whispered; "and don't

was drawing in a plump fellow that was fighting gamely and wrathfully for his freedom. The fish darted to and fro for a m

t his brilliant spots. "Didn't you know better than to try to eat poo

, took another "grasshopper green" from her handkerchief, and

A person not all intent upon fishing, nor absorbed in the excitement of it, might have seen, had he looked in the dire

man's face as he saw the grass, grown thick and heavy; grains coming in well filled; garden patches showing t

face changed, as he gazed; his brow wrink

of the trout pool? There was no breeze stirring the alders; but one s

efore sunrise, taking a fish from the forbidden waters. He stepped back into the entry, seized a stout cane, and started forth

someone-whoever it was-must be short, or else, perchance, crouched low in

snapped under Farmer

behind her, startled by the snapping of the branch only a few rods away. What she sa

out! The precious trout! Ah, she could not leave them. Hastily she snatched them up, and t

squirm," she

the child seemed to be lost. The surface of the brook where she had gone down remained unruffled. Then, clear across on the other side, one watching sharply might have seen a chi

ntire width of the

she had sat, fishing. She saw him run, furiously, hither and thither, beating the underbrush wit

l he travelled, searching every

hear, when it isn't grinding, and now I see somebody fishing when there isn't anybody

nd casting a backward glance now and then, st

dripping wet, scrambled in across the bog on the other side,

called out a voice, some time later,

" replied the child, gazing proudly into the fry-pan, wherei

on. "I didn't know the trout would bite

l made

as she stood watching the old woman eat her breakfast with a relish. Gran

re did you catch 'em? I thought the fish

ating. Then she thought of the old

in the pool, g

t to her mouth dropped from her hand. The last piece she had eaten seemed t

s stealing? Didn't I bring you up better'n that? What do you mean by going and being so bad

ell back on the couch. The girl stood for a mo

ay, gran'," she sobbed. "Will I ha

nie Thornton. "But if

as darting out

id, bitterly. "I'll tell him. I

clumsily-built youth, lounged lazily in the dooryard of the Elliso

is way. Let's see you jump the fence. Say, what's the matter with you? Ho! ho! Why, you look like that ca

how it happened. He only knew that the girl had darted suddenly forward, that he had b

scrambling to his feet and making after

out the same size as Benjamin, who had just appeared from the house, caught him by an arm and sai

n for an instant and sh

ut his cousin's size, but of a less heav

r alone. Oh ho, that's rich! Put poor old Benni

vanished, and h

your father," s

e," responded John Ellison. "He

ing back in his chair, looked up in surprise, as the girl s

ewhat sharply. "Why didn't you knock at t

bare feet and tugging at her damp dress. Then she seemed to

cking, I gue

face relaxed in

kon you deserve it, all right, if not

do," said B

" queried Farmer Ellison, looking puzzled.

sides, she didn't know what I was going to

ession of suspicion stole over his face.

been up to?" he

g," replied the gi

n sprang up f

I knew I didn't need them burdock bitters all the time I was t

y th

lf whispere

the girl by an arm a

k!" he cried. "

ered the girl; "

ok her

hey didn't choke you. Didn't you feel

"But 'twas a bone, sir. She didn't k

moment a woman entered the room. At the sight of her, Bess Thornton suddenly darted

o bad," she said. "I-I

he hardness of her husband's, stroked the girl's hair softly, se

ke the fish?" she

ought to have the w

ed an inquiring gla

g that way ever since

me of the trout," continued the girl. "She's go

Ellison, kindly. "Didn't you feel kind of as though it

y. "I didn't eat any. I was going to,

t to-day?" asked Mrs. Ellison, feeli

said t

our dress so wet?

d it all the way under water. I didn't think I could, an

ouch of pride

er to me. I'll say all that's needed

t-truly," said

is eye. "Clear across the pool under water," he muttered to

was eating the best meal she had had in many a day. A motherly-looking woman, setting o

e whispered to herself once softly,

d a basket on one arm that made Grannie Thorn

, and offered them to her. "Not a bit of it for me. I'll not touch it. You can. And

ned way with her that the child urged her no fu

n," she said to herself, sighing. "