Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/165

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A JOURNEY OVER THE SIERRA MADRE
141

Indians, and this jest suits 'em. Well, they can do as they please, only I don't want to stay among 'em."

And he struck out faster than ever. They were hungry again, and glad enough to stop at a stream which presented itself, and try their luck at fishing. For lines they used threads torn from their clothing and baited their bone fish-hooks with the cooked meat previously mentioned. But though they fished long and patiently, not a fish came near them.

"Hang the luck!" cried Si, at last. "I don't believe there are any fish here." But even as he spoke he saw a specimen of the finny tribe leap to the surface, catch an insect which had dropped there, and disappear like a flash.

"There's an idea!" said Walter, and forthwith began to hunt up some of the insects in question, which were not unlike our native crickets, excepting that they possessed a double set of wings. With one of the insects on his hook for bait he crept to the stream again and threw in exactly where the fish had appeared. Swish! up came the fish, eager for another such dainty morsel, the line grew taut, and in a second Walter had a beautifully speckled prize, weighing all of a pound.