“Why, Obed, old fellow,” he burst out with, “you’re just the same kind of an enterprising chap Max here has always been.  Why, it was his grand idea about there being mussels aplenty in the Big Sunflower down our way that started us into making a try for fresh-water pearls in the river.  We found ’em, too, some thousands of dollars’ worth, of them; and when the news leaked out, whee! the farmers, all around, had a tough time getting their harvests home, because every hand was treading for mussels in the creeks and small rivers for thirty miles around Carson.  Why, I bet you it’d be as hard to find a fresh-water clam down our way now as a needle in a haystack; they’re all cleaned out.  You see, Max here had read about pearls being found out in Indiana and other places, and that gave him the big idea; just like you got set on the fur farm business by reading about it.”

They duly inspected the marsh where Obed hunted his big greenback frogs when he thought the crop warranted a thinning out.

“They’re always in demand down New York ways, whar they fetch a dollar a pound for the saddles,” he explained; “and let me tell yuh it doesn’t take a great many o’ them to weigh that much.  I’ve got some granddaddy bouncers here that’d make you stare to see ’em; but they don’t show up much at this time o’ day.”

“And how do you get them by the wholesale when you want to market any?” asked Steve.  “I’ve shot many a one with a small Flobert rifle; or else caught them with a piece of red flannel fixed on a small hook, attached by a short cord to a stout pole.”

“Well, men in the regular frog-raising business couldn’t go about it as slow as that,” said the other, “though I have shot a few o’ the big uns that way, ’cause they was too tricky to be grabbed with my hand net.  If you stay with me a spell we’ll get more’n one mess o’ frog legs, if yuh likes them.”

Bandy-legs was seen to work his lips as though his month fairly watered at the pleasing prospect; for those who are fond of the dish say that frogs’ legs are more delicate than the best spring chicken, with just a little taste of fish about them that rather adds to the piquancy.

Having by this time exhausted about all the sights of the wonderful farm the boys headed back again toward the cabin.  Max could not but notice that Obed showed signs of uneasiness while away, and cast frequent glances in the direction where under those whispering pines and the dark green hemlocks his lone lodge stood.

Therefore Max was not very much surprised when, as he and Obed strolled along in the rear of the other three, who were chatting, and arguing about certain matters, the young fur farmer pressed his arm confidentially, and went on to say: 

“I’d like to tell yuh something, Max, ‘cause I own up it’s gettin’ on my nerves.  I thought nothin’ could bother me any, but now that the time is so close at hand when I mean tuh sell that pair o’ grown pups, and get the money I need so bad, why, things look kinder different.  Fact is, Max,” he went on, allowing his voice to sink into a mysterious stage whisper, “somebody was lookin’ around in my cabin while I was down at your camp last evenin’.  I know this because things was more or less upset; and I reckon my comin’ back scared the man away, whoever he may have been!”