At fishing the boys were highly successful.  Snap caught the first fish—–­a good-sized perch—–­and the doctor’s son followed with a fine pickerel.  Then came Whopper with another pickerel.  For a while Giant caught nothing.

“What’s the matter, Giant?” queried Snap.  “You are usually our best angler.”

“Oh, wait; I haven’t begun yet,” returned the small youth.

Scarcely had he spoken when he felt a tug and commenced to play a fish with vigor.  That it was a large specimen of the finny tribe was evident by the way the rod bent and the line snapped and hummed.

“Look out, or you’ll lose him!” cried Whopper excitedly.

“Let Giant alone—–­he knows how to play any fish,” said Snap.

“That’s what!” added the doctor’s son.

The others forgot their lines in watching Giant.  Up came the line for fifty feet, and then out it would rush.  But at last he commenced to reel in steadily, and then, with a swing, he lifted his catch bodily and allowed it to drop on the grass, where it flounced and flopped vigorously for a moment.

“A maskalonge!” cried the other boys simultaneously.

“And a big one!” added Whopper.

“Tell you what!  It takes Giant to haul in the big fish!” was Snap’s comment.  “No little chaps for him!”

The catching of the maskalonge enthused all, and they went to fishing with renewed vigor.  By dinner-time they had eighteen fish to their credit, a few little ones and some weighing two and three pounds.

“Say, you fellows will have plenty of fish to eat,” remarked the boy from the circus.

“Well, you shall have your share,” added Snap quickly.  “Which puts me in mind that it must be near feeding time.”

“Shall I get some wood and start up the fire?” asked Tommy.

“If you will.”

At once the circus boy started off, and when the others got back to camp they found a fine blaze going with plenty of wood near by to keep it up.  Tommy was washing the left-over dishes, and had set a kettle of water to boil.

“He certainly isn’t lazy,” whispered Snap to Shep.  “If we take him along he’ll earn his food.”

“Yes, and if he does the camp work that will give us more time to rest and take pictures,” returned the doctor’s son.

“Boys, I move we take a swim this afternoon,” cried Giant, while they were sitting around waiting for some fish to cook.  “It will be our last chance before going to the mountains, and the water is just right.”

“Second the motion!” returned Snap.

“So say we all of us!” sang out Whopper.  “I’ve been dying for a swim for the last ten years!”

“Dying again!   Poor boy!” sighed Shep.   “Now, if you’ll only live-----”

He got no further, for, coming up behind him, Whopper pulled him over on the grass.  As he went rolling he caught his tormentor by the ankles and down came Whopper.  Then over and over rolled both lads, up against Giant, who joined in the tussle good-naturedly.