Buddy Jim Page 5

  "I don't see any Joke"]

 

  BUDDY JIM GOES FISHING

  _The Bob-o-link was whistling His merry-hearted song, To tell his name, and the wondrous news His babes would fly 'fore long; "I'd like," said Buddy Jim "to go A-fishing in the brook, The day is fine and all I need Is a rod, and line, and hook."_

  "Look in the upper left hand drawer of my work table in the toolhouse," said Old Bob the gardener, "and you will find a line and hooks.You can cut yourself an alder pole for a rod."

  When Buddy Jim had found the tackle and had cut the alder sapling for arod, he took them to Old Bob the gardener and asked him to help him putthem together.

  "These have not been used," said Bob, "since my small city cousin wasdown here a few summers ago."

  "Did he catch any trout in the brook?" asked Buddy Jim. "No, hedidn't," said Bob, "he claimed something always chased the fish away.But there's nothing in the brook except some little spotted trout,anyway."

  "What bait shall I use?" asked Buddy Jim. "Angleworms," said Old Bobthe gardener, "if old Robin Red Breast has left any. He has fed atleast a dozen to that fat child of his since morning."

  "I believe he hears them walk," laughed Buddy Jim. "Just look at himwith his head on one side listening. If I were an angleworm, I wouldnot even _wiggle_ while he was around."

  "Well," said Old Bob, the gardener, "I suppose they are his meat."

  "Prob'ly," said Buddy Jim. "But he must spare me a few for bait. I'llget mine in the back yard, though, because I make bigger holes gettingthem out than father Robin does."

  It was very still and pleasant down by the brook, under the alder trees.

  There was no living thing in sight, except a whole family of Snappingturtles, asleep on a log which had fallen partly across the brook atthe deepest place.

  Buddy Jim baited his hook. Then he cast it far into the deep shadowsunder a big rock, and waited. He waited a long time. Then just as hewas sure he felt a nibble, the tiniest turtle jumped "pl-o-o-m-p!" intothe water.

  "O dear!" said Buddy Jim. "That scared away my fish!" He pulled in hisline, and found that his bait was gone. So he put on some more, andtried again.

  Then just as he was _certain sure_ that he felt a nibble, "pl-o-o-m-p!"went the next smallest turtle.

  Patiently, Buddy Jim put on more bait, and tried again. But just as he_knew_ he had a _bite_ "pl-o-o-m-p!" went the third turtle into thewater. Once more he tried, and again the same thing happened. Untilthere were only the father and mother turtle left on the log.

  "I'm going to drive those two old turtles away," said Buddy Jim. So hethrew a stone and hit the log, but the father turtle and the motherturtle did not stir. "They are sound asleep," said Buddy Jim, "I'lltry again." So he did. But just as he was _sure_ he had a nibble, boththose old turtles woke up and jumped "Ker-plunk!" into the water."Now," said Buddy Jim, "they are all gone, and this time I'll catchthat old trout."

  But just as he got his bait on the hook, there were all thosemeddlesome turtles back on the log, looking as though they would neverwake up in the world.

  "O, what a joke! O, what a joke. Ha Ha Ha-a," cried a voice very near.Buddy Jim looked up. There was Old Jim Crow, on an old hemlock stump,dancing with glee, and nearly doubling up laughing.

  "I don't see any joke," said Buddy Jim.

  "That's always the way with folks when the joke is on them," gurgledOld Jim Crow; "they never can see it. The joke is on you today, insteadof on Old Man Kingfisher."

  "Do you mean to say those turtles jumped in the water just to warn thefish?" asked Buddy Jim, his eyes wide open.

  "Certainly they did," said Old Jim Crow, "that's their regular job.There are always some of Spotty the Trout's young ones, who don't knowany better than to nibble at hooks, and go near enough shore so theycan be caught by prowlers. So they must be looked after."

  "Who tries to catch them?" asked Buddy Jim. "Well," said Jim Crow,"Old Man Kingfisher is about the _worst_ one, and then there is SlinkyMinky, and _always_, of _course_, boys, like you, who come fishing justfor fun. Not because they need fish to eat at all, but just for fun."Buddy Jim somehow felt very small, and ashamed of himself. "Fun!" wenton Old Jim Crow. "Destroying a beautiful bit of life just for fun. Andyou look like a _nice_ boy, too."

  "I _am_ a nice boy," said Buddy Jim. "Nobody ever told me that it'swrong to catch fish." "It isn't," said Old Jim Crow, "if you need themto eat. But it would take six of Spotty's babies to make a mouthful."

  "Well, I may as well go home," said Buddy Jim. "Old Bob the gardenerwill laugh at my empty basket."

  "Fill it full of wintergreen berries," said Old Jim Crow. "They arejust scrumptious now. Fat and mealy!"

  So Buddy Jim lined his basket with fresh green leaves, and thengathered enough of the spicy crimson berries to fill it.

  "Any luck, Son?" asked Old Bob the gardener, "Well," said Buddy Jim,"I had several nibbles, but the turtles kept jumping off a log andfrightening the fish away."

  "Same old trick," said Bob the gardener. "They've been doing that eversince I was your age. But I'll take you down to Long Lake some day nextweek, and let you catch some real fish. Perch and Pickerel and, likeenough, an eel."

  "O Goody, Goody!" said the little boy. "Have some berries, Bob?" "Iv'ryPlums," said Old Bob the gardener.

  "I thought they were wintergreen berries," said Buddy Jim. "Some folkscall 'em that," said Old Bob the gardener. "But _we_ always called 'emiv'ry plums. See any one else down to the brook?" he asked.

  "Nobody but Old Jim Crow," said Buddy Jim. "He prob'ly had one eye onMrs. Snapping Turtle, hoping to find her nest full of eggs," said Bobthe gardener.

  Buddy Jim, opened his eyes wide. "Do turtles lay eggs?" he asked."Sure," said Old Bob the gardener. "In the sand."

  "And he looked like such a _nice_ Crow, too," said Buddy Jim.