The Democratic advocate., 1908-02-28

THE CATCH OF THE SEASON.
BY CECILY ALLEN.

and L IN through.
''Talk about being quiet, said Wint,
"you have clacked necessarily, like a
sitting hen, ever since threw my first
line. No wonder we DOM get bite. y
Wint Miller turned around to look at
his friend Jack Barnes, lighting his pipe
meanwhile.
CAN right you clumsy old thing. I
know what L M talking about" grinned
Jack. "You move about in this little
rowboat as if it was an ocean going steam
er. Look to your line there p
Wint turned suddenly at the mention
of the long awaited bite. Clumsy he
might be, but Jack loved his chum
just because he was clumsy and always
needed his help. The turn was fatal.
Wint lost his balance, his foot slipped
on the wet bottom of the boat, and back
ward he went for cold and unex-
pected dip. Fortunately the water was
only five feet deep, and Wint's head
appeared above the water in a second,
pipe in mouth and the fire still going.
Courses on you, Jack Barnes You
did that purposely, and you'll pay for
this,'' growled Wint as he tried TO climb
aboard.
Jacks convulsions of laughter did not
help matters much, and when he did stop
for moment it was only to heap Goals
of fire upon Wint's wet head.
"My fault! Well, 1 like that, you
old landlubber. Itold you to keep quiet,
but you knew it all. Now our days
fishing is spoiled, and l can stay home
and nurse you. Climb aboard and let's
get home before you develop measles or
whooping cough y
It was very sullen pair that unlocked
the door of their fishing hut an hour
later. Wint was shivering, and Jack
was muttering under his breath. They
hunted in vain for dry clothes, as they
had come down only for day Or two to
rough it. Jack turned to his friend with
helpless expression.
"Wint, there's only one thing to do.
Well have to pack up and go over to
Uncle Wills and see if they will take
you in. You're sneezing your head off
now, and by morning you'll probably
have fine case of pneumonia. I hate
to do it, for Aunt Fanny doesn' approve
of me or my friends either for that mat
ter" added Jack.
Again the pair started off and walked
through the woods to pretty little cottage
set in among the pines. Aunt Fanny
Beal met them at the porch. She was
a woman who held her head high at all
times, but just now it seemed to be
straighter than ever.
$50 it's you, is it?'' she said as Jack
extended his hand. "Who is this per-
son with you p she added as she glanced
at the figure of Wint, covered with red
mud and hatless.
''Oh, l say, Aunt Fanny, be easy.
We've had an accident. This is my best
friend, Mr.. Winthrop Miller. He fell
overheard, and we We come over to see if
you won't take us in for the night until
his clothes get dry. Where S Uncle Will?
He'll understand. -
ssYour uncle is in town, and Belle and
I are alone. Blood is blood, and you can
not deny your own. I'll take you in for
your mothers sake" whined Aunt Fan
ny as she opened the door in anything
but a welcome manner.
ssNevsr mind about me, Aunt Fanny,
cheerily answered Jack as he saw the
door open to them "But Wint must
get dry. He's caught dreadful cold,
| fear
"He doesn't look 50 trail, " suggested
Mrs. Beal as she glanced at Wint' some
what ample proportions. "However,
come in and 60 up to your Uncle's room.
I suppose you will leave this evening.
You know we have no spare room, she
added lest they should avail themselves
ola nights lodging.
Wint did not leave that evening nor
for many, many evenings thereafter. At
o clock that afternoon the doctor was
sent for He looked at the flushed cheeks
and the parched tongue. He listened to
the wheeling as it came so hard and shook
his head.
"We must get nurse at once, Mrs.
Beal. The man is very sick; he must
have care or he will die 1 will send a
nurse and will call again later. Good
afternoon, and the doctor was gone.
For weeks Wint hovered between life
and the great beyond. No one entered
the room but the nurse, the doctor and
Isabelle Beal, Jacks cousin. She re-
lieved the nurse, and sometimes even
the doctor would call her in to give few
directions. Jack came down every day
or two, but was never allowed to see his
chum. Slowly the big man made his
fight, slowly his eyes lost the CLASSY look,
and finally the day came when the nurse
was no longer needed. Isabelle could
manage with Jacks help at night.
ssI say, nurse" said Wint one day as
Isabelle sat reading to him, I'm glad
that other nurse beat it. like you bet
ter.
s'But you know I'm not really a nurse
at all, Mr.. Miller" said Isabelle as she
blushed at the inferred compliment.
ssI'm Jacks cousin-Aunt Fanny's
daughter, you understand. But I love
Jack, and I'll do anythingfor his friends,
and she began reading again.
"Don't let's read any more" said
Wint. ssJust let's talk. don't care
whether you re really true nurse or not.
II like you cause you re you and may
be when your mother sees me dressed
like white man she won't think | m
such terror. l certainly did look like
a day laborer out of job the afternoon |
landed on the front porch.
81 know said Isabelle as she laugh
ed heartily and laid, down the book. 'It
must have been SO funny. Mothers
terribly proper, you know. :
Days went on like this, and Mrs. Beal
was gradually won over to the emenys
camp. Every one who knew Wint
4 1