about what Slim said.”
“You’re right. I’ll forget it. The big thing is to get that reward. The last one down is a four-eyed catfish!” Slim, at the breakfast table, answered the Bob-Whites’ greetings with an unintelligible grunt. He’d just finished a plate of Mrs. Moore’s cornmeal pancakes and wiped the syrup from his mouth with the back of his hand. “Ready?”
“When we finish our breakfast,” Trixie answered, “and when we get our things collected.”
“Where do you expect to head for first?” Mrs. Moore asked Slim.
“I been thinkin’ Bascomb’s Cave would be the likeliest place. Then maybe that old cave over near Turkey Knob.”
“Are they caves that have already been explored?” Trixie asked.
“Sure they have. I’ve been through them dozens of times. Ain’t nothin’ there could hurt you.”
“Are there underground streams in either one of them?”
“Never saw none.”
“Then we won’t go!” Trixie banged her fork down on her plate. It seemed to amuse Uncle Andrew. “Don’t you know anyplace where we could find a cave that hasn’t been explored?”
“Maybe about a couple dozen of ’em,” Slim answered and took a deep swallow of coffee. “Trouble is, they might be too rough goin’ for a tenderfoot. Wouldn’t want to get too dirty. There’s spider webs and bats and maybe a lot of slush and sharp stones in them.”
I guess we’d better have a little better understanding,” Uncle Andrew said, aware of the Bob-Whites’ growing impatience with Slim. “These young People may come from a different part of the country,b ut they can probably outswim you, outhike you, and, you don’t watch your way of talking, outfight you.
They can go anyplace you go and do anything you do.
I just want you to guide them and obey rules that are just good common sense. I’ve already gone over them with you to refresh your mind. Do you think we understand one another now, Slim? I’m willing to pay you well to guide the Bob-Whites. They respect: you and your skill as a woodsman. Give them the same respect for their talents. I think you may be in for a surprise.”
Slim, who had reddened and bristled at the beginning of Uncle Andrew’s conversation, changed his expression when reminded of good pay. He forced a grin. “All right. I’ll call it quits if they will. I know my way around here, and I’m willin’ to guide ’em. Never had no trouble before with guidin’.”
“I think I know a good place for them to go,” Linnie said timidly.
“Where?” Trixie asked eagerly.
“You’ll have to take the boat. It’s across the inlet I after you pass the cove at the bottom of the path,” m she explained to Slim. “I was over there one day, and right under the cliffside, exactly kitty-corner from this lodge, there’s the entrance to a real big cave. I don’t think it’s ever been explored. It’s beautiful inside, just like a palace!” Linnie’s eyes glowed. “I’ve only been just inside the entrance. There’s a stream runs through it, too, Trixie. You might find a ghost fish there.”
“What would you want with one of them skinny f little things?” Slim asked.
“Then you’ve seen ghost fish in caves?” Trixie asked quickly.
“Once or twice,” Slim said. “Gosh, what would you do with ’em? Now, if it’s fish you’re after, I know a place for bass.”
“It isn’t bass we’re after,” Trixie said, then added, “just now. I guess maybe Easterners are peculiar, don’t you think, Honey?”
Honey nodded. She knew Trixie was trying to confuse Slim.
“Do you think we’ll find any ghost fish in the cave across the inlet?” Trixie asked, trying to disguise the eagerness in her voice.
“As likely there as anyplace. But what in tarnation you want with ’em, I’ll never know.”
“That’s as it should be,” Trixie answered. “Let’s go, Bob-Whites!”
She went into the living room, gathered up her bucket and dip net, put on her hard hat with the
“You’re right. I’ll forget it. The big thing is to get that reward. The last one down is a four-eyed catfish!” Slim, at the breakfast table, answered the Bob-Whites’ greetings with an unintelligible grunt. He’d just finished a plate of Mrs. Moore’s cornmeal pancakes and wiped the syrup from his mouth with the back of his hand. “Ready?”
“When we finish our breakfast,” Trixie answered, “and when we get our things collected.”
“Where do you expect to head for first?” Mrs. Moore asked Slim.
“I been thinkin’ Bascomb’s Cave would be the likeliest place. Then maybe that old cave over near Turkey Knob.”
“Are they caves that have already been explored?” Trixie asked.
“Sure they have. I’ve been through them dozens of times. Ain’t nothin’ there could hurt you.”
“Are there underground streams in either one of them?”
“Never saw none.”
“Then we won’t go!” Trixie banged her fork down on her plate. It seemed to amuse Uncle Andrew. “Don’t you know anyplace where we could find a cave that hasn’t been explored?”
“Maybe about a couple dozen of ’em,” Slim answered and took a deep swallow of coffee. “Trouble is, they might be too rough goin’ for a tenderfoot. Wouldn’t want to get too dirty. There’s spider webs and bats and maybe a lot of slush and sharp stones in them.”
I guess we’d better have a little better understanding,” Uncle Andrew said, aware of the Bob-Whites’ growing impatience with Slim. “These young People may come from a different part of the country,b ut they can probably outswim you, outhike you, and, you don’t watch your way of talking, outfight you.
They can go anyplace you go and do anything you do.
I just want you to guide them and obey rules that are just good common sense. I’ve already gone over them with you to refresh your mind. Do you think we understand one another now, Slim? I’m willing to pay you well to guide the Bob-Whites. They respect: you and your skill as a woodsman. Give them the same respect for their talents. I think you may be in for a surprise.”
Slim, who had reddened and bristled at the beginning of Uncle Andrew’s conversation, changed his expression when reminded of good pay. He forced a grin. “All right. I’ll call it quits if they will. I know my way around here, and I’m willin’ to guide ’em. Never had no trouble before with guidin’.”
“I think I know a good place for them to go,” Linnie said timidly.
“Where?” Trixie asked eagerly.
“You’ll have to take the boat. It’s across the inlet I after you pass the cove at the bottom of the path,” m she explained to Slim. “I was over there one day, and right under the cliffside, exactly kitty-corner from this lodge, there’s the entrance to a real big cave. I don’t think it’s ever been explored. It’s beautiful inside, just like a palace!” Linnie’s eyes glowed. “I’ve only been just inside the entrance. There’s a stream runs through it, too, Trixie. You might find a ghost fish there.”
“What would you want with one of them skinny f little things?” Slim asked.
“Then you’ve seen ghost fish in caves?” Trixie asked quickly.
“Once or twice,” Slim said. “Gosh, what would you do with ’em? Now, if it’s fish you’re after, I know a place for bass.”
“It isn’t bass we’re after,” Trixie said, then added, “just now. I guess maybe Easterners are peculiar, don’t you think, Honey?”
Honey nodded. She knew Trixie was trying to confuse Slim.
“Do you think we’ll find any ghost fish in the cave across the inlet?” Trixie asked, trying to disguise the eagerness in her voice.
“As likely there as anyplace. But what in tarnation you want with ’em, I’ll never know.”
“That’s as it should be,” Trixie answered. “Let’s go, Bob-Whites!”
She went into the living room, gathered up her bucket and dip net, put on her hard hat with the
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