"Amos wants to see you, if you do," said the boy. "He is in cousin Abby's room. Can you catch fish?" "I have done so, but I cannot boast of much skill," said Fidelia. "I would like to try. Let us go and see Amos." So they went together to cousin Abby's room. It did not take long to make all necessary arrangements. The chief thing was, that an early start should be made, and also that a good lunch should be put up. Fidelia laughed at the idea of her being too tired to follow the brook-- to its source even, if that should be necessary; and she quite won the hearts of the three boys by her delight at the prospect of the day's pleasure. "Nellie ought to go," said Amos. "She would like to go, I'm sure, but she can't leave her company. They might go too, I suppose; but I guess city girls wouldn't care about fishing." "I think it will be better for us to go by ourselves to-morrow," said Fidelia. "It doesn't do for too many people to go fishing together." "And girls especially. They will talk," said Amos. Fidelia laughed. "I won't talk. You'll see how quiet I can be." CHAPTER FIVE. A DAY'S FISHING. An early start to Smellie's Brook was accomplished, and in circumstances even more favourable than had been anticipated. Dr Everett had risen early and breakfasted with the fishing party, and he volunteered to drive as many as could "pile in" to the double buggy to the nearest point on Smellie's Hill that could be reached on wheels. The elder boys were inclined to refuse the offer; but the doctor said,-- "The fields are wet with dew, and the lunch-basket is heavy; and you must consider that you have a lady with you." "Well, I guess we'd better go in the buggy a part of the way," said Amos, the leader, after awhile. The dewy fields would not have been agreeable to walk in, but they were beautiful to see, and so were the woods, into which after awhile the narrow road took them. The boys' eyes were quick to see and their ears to hear, and the sights and sounds of the early morning were not lost upon them. Fidelia was silent, but her spirits rose as she listened to the talk between the doctor and the boys; and she laughed as merrily as any of them before they reached Smellie's Hill. "If you don't feel as if you were going to have a good time, Fidelia, you can drive back again with me, and let the boys go on alone," said Dr Everett, as he stopped at the steepest part of the hill to let the boys alight. "Go back with you! No, indeed! I _am_ going to have a good time. I feel better already." "You look better. I am glad you came. And look here, little girl, don't you worry about Eunice. Don't you know that nothing in the world can hurt Eunice? If there is any room for anxiety between you, it is Eunice who might worry about you. But she doesn't, and need not, I hope. At any rate all is well with Eunice." A shadow fell on Fidelia's face, and her eyes drooped beneath the doctor's glance.