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caught the fish。〃
〃I know； I know。 I read it； but I don't know how to do it。〃
〃Perhaps you ought to punch him with it；〃 said she。
〃No！ no！〃 I hurriedly replied； 〃I can't do anything like that。 I'm
going to try to just pull him out lengthwise。 You take hold of the
pole and go in shore as far as you can and I'll try and get hold of
the line。〃
Euphemia did as I bade her； and drew the line in so that I could
reach it。 As soon as I had a firm hold of it； I pulled in；
regardless of consequences； and hauled ashore an enormous cat…fish。
〃Hurrah！〃 I shouted； 〃here is a prize。〃
Euphemia dropped the pole； and ran to me。
〃What a horrid beast！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Throw it in again。〃
〃Not at all！〃 said I。 〃This is a splendid fish； if I can ever get
him off the hook。 Don't come near him！ If he sticks that back…fin
into you； it will poison you。〃
〃Then I should think it would poison us to eat him；〃 said she。
〃No； it's only his fin。〃
〃I've eaten cat…fish； but I never saw one like that；〃 she said。
〃Look at its horrible mouth！ And it has whiskers like a cat！〃
〃Oh！ you never saw one with its head on；〃 I said。 〃What I want to
do is to get this hook out。〃
I had caught cat…fish before； but never one so large as this； and I
was actually afraid to take hold of it； knowing； as I did； that you
must be very careful how you clutch a fish of the kind。 I finally
concluded to carry it home as it was； and then I could decapitate
it； and take out the hook at my leisure。 So back to camp we went；
Euphemia picking up the little fish as we passed； for she did not
think it right to catch fish and not eat them。 They made her hands
smell； it is true； but she did not mind that when we were camping。
I prepared the big fish （and I had a desperate time getting the
skin off）； while my wife； who is one of the daintiest cooks in the
world； made the fire in the stove； and got ready the rest of the
supper。 She fried the fish； because I told her that was the way
cat…fish ought to be cooked； although she said that it seemed very
strange to her to camp out for the sake of one's health； and then
to eat fried food。
But that fish was splendid！ The very smell of it made us hungry。
Everything was good； and when supper was over and the dishes
washed； I lighted my pipe and we sat down under a tree to enjoy the
evening。
The sun had set behind the distant ridge； a delightful twilight was
gently subduing every color of the scene； the night insects were
beginning to hum and chirp； and a fire that I had made under a tree
blazed up gayly； and threw little flakes of light into the shadows
under the shrubbery。
〃Now isn't this better than being cooped up in a narrow；
constricted house？〃 said I。
〃Ever so much better！〃 said Euphemia。 〃Now we know what Nature is。
We are sitting right down in her lap； and she is cuddling us up。
Isn't that sky lovely？ Oh！ I think this is perfectly splendid；〃
said she； making a little dab at her face；〃if it wasn't for the
mosquitoes。〃
〃They ARE bad；〃 I said。 〃I thought my pipe would keep them off；
but it don't。 There must be plenty of them down at that creek。〃
〃Down there！〃 exclaimed Euphemia。 〃Why there are thousands of them
here！ I never saw anything like it。 They're getting worse every
minute。〃
〃I'll tell you what we must do；〃 I exclaimed； jumping up。 〃We must
make a smudge。〃
〃What's that？ do you rub it on yourself？〃 asked Euphemia；
anxiously。
〃No； it's only a great smoke。 Come； let us gather up dry leaves
and make a smoldering fire of them。〃
We managed to get up a very fair smudge； and we stood to the
leeward of it； until Euphemia began to cough and sneeze； as if her
head would come off。 With tears running from her eyes； she
declared that she would rather go and be eaten alive； than stay in
that smoke。
〃Perhaps we were too near it；〃 said I。
〃That may be；〃 she answered； 〃but I have had enough smoke。 Why
didn't I think of it before？ I brought two veils！ We can put
these over our faces； and wear gloves。〃
She was always full of expedients。
Veiled and gloved； we bade defiance to the mosquitoes； and we sat
and talked for half an hour or more。 I made a little hole in my
veil； through which I put the mouth…piece of my pipe。
When it became really dark； I lighted the lantern； and we prepared
for a well…earned night's rest。 The tent was spacious and
comfortable； and we each had a nice little cot…bed。
〃Are you going to leave the front…door open all night？〃 said
Euphemia； as I came in after a final round to see that all was
right。
〃I should hardly call this canvas…flap a front…door；〃 I said； 〃but
I think it would be better to leave it open； otherwise we should
smother。 You need not be afraid。 I shall keep my gun here by my
bedside； and if any one offers to come in； I'll bring him to a full
stop quick enough。〃
〃Yes； if you are awake。 But I suppose we ought not to be afraid of
burglars here。 People in tents never are。 So you needn't shut
it。〃
It was awfully quiet and dark and lonely； out there by that creek；
when the light had been put out； and we had gone to bed。 For some
reason I could not go to sleep。 After I had been lying awake for
an hour or two； Euphemia spoke：
〃Are you awake？〃 said she； in a low voice； as if she were afraid of
disturbing the people in the next room。
〃Yes；〃 said I。 〃How long have you been awake？〃
〃I haven't been asleep。〃
〃Neither have I。〃
〃Suppose we light the lantern；〃 said she。 〃Don't you think it
would be pleasanter？〃
〃It might be；〃 I replied； 〃but it would draw myriads of mosquitoes。
I wish I had brought a mosquito…net and a clock。 It seems so
lonesome without the ticking。 Good…night！ We ought to have a long
sleep； if we do much tramping about to…morrow。〃
In about half an hour more； just as I was beginning to be a little
sleepy； she said：
〃Where is that gun？〃
〃Here by me；〃 I answered。
〃Well； if a man should come in； try and be sure to put it up close
to him before you fire。 In a little tent like this； the shot might
scatter everywhere； if you're not careful。〃
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃Good…night！〃
〃There's one thing we never thought of！〃 she presently exclaimed。
〃What's that；〃 said I。
〃Snakes；〃 said she。
〃Well； don't let's think of them。 We must try and get a little
sleep。〃
〃Dear knows！ I've been trying hard enough；〃 she said； plaintively；
and all was quiet again。
We succeeded this time in going to sleep； and it was broad daylight
before we awoke。
That morning； old John came with our water before breakfast was
ready。 He also brought us some milk； as he thought we would want
it。 We considered this a good idea； and agreed with him to bring
us a quart a day。
〃Don't you want some wegetables？〃 said he。 〃I've got some nice
corn and some tomatoes； and I could bring you cabbage and peas。〃
We had hardly expected to have fresh vegetables every day； but
there seemed to be no reason why old John should not bring them； as
he had to come every day with the water and milk。 So we arranged
that he should furnish us daily with a few of the products of his
garden。
〃I could go to the butcher's a