Now it might as well be said right here that Mr. Thompson owned many a
fine split bamboo rod, and two or three beautiful guns, and that there
were pictures of partridges and woodcock in his den. Two fishing
pictures in particular, which had always been Joe's delight, hung near
the door, one of a great trout rolling up to take a fly as it skimmed
the surface of the water, while the other, its mate, was of a fine
small-mouthed bass clearing the water, and shaking himself in the air in
his efforts to break away from the hook which had tempted him. In fact,
Mr. Thompson was a sportsman of the truest kind. Little did Ned and Joe
know how near he came to adding set lines to dynamite when talking
seriously before he mentioned the salt. If he had been told "the scheme"
this story would never have been written, but the boys went off unaware
of what Mr. Thompson's views were on the method they had devised to try
the bass in Laurel Lake. They took their rods and bait, of course, but
kept mum about what was rattling under the seat as Jerry drove Tot up to
the door.