"Why!" he whispered to Frane, "I could grab it, if I tried. It is just like what we call bullheads up in Pineville. I've caught 'em in our pond. You can hardly get 'em off the hook without getting stung by 'em." "Catfish don't sting you. But you have to knock 'em in the head when you land them, so as to make 'em behave. I've seen the boys do it." "I'm going to make a grab for that fellow," declared Russ. "I reckon you'd miss him. You couldn't hold him, anyway," said Frane doubtfully. "I could so." "No, you couldn't. He's too big. They never catch catfish that way." "I know I never caught a bullhead that way," admitted Russ. "But one never lay so still for me. And right under this log! Here! You take the spyglass." "You'd better take care," advised the Southern boy. But Russ felt very daring. It seemed that the fish lay only a few inches under the surface of the brown water. If he could grasp the fish and throw it ashore, how the other children would all shout! Perhaps Russ Bunker wanted to "show off" a little. Anyway, he determined to make the attempt to land the big catfish with his hands. "You can't do it," warned Frane, Junior, creeping back a way so as to give Russ more room. "Don't say that till you see," returned the boy from the North. "Now, look! I know just where he lies. Look!" Russ had rolled his shirtsleeve up to his shoulder. He balanced himself on the log, his head and shoulders overhanging the brown water. Suddenly he made a dive with his right hand. Even his head touched the water, he dipped so deep, and his cap went floating away. And, wonderful to relate, his hand did seize upon the catfish. Perhaps the fish had been asleep down there by the edge of the imbedded stone. At any rate it was not quick enough to escape Russ Bunker's darting hand. "I got it!" yelled Russ, in delight. He tried to seize fast hold upon the body of the catfish, but the fish shot forward with a wriggle that slapped its tail against Russ's hand. Russ plunged forward, trying to hold it. "I--guess--he's--a--butter--fish!" he gasped. "He's so slippery----" And then, losing his balance on the log, Russ Bunker fell right into the deep pool with splash enough to frighten all the fishes for yards around! CHAPTER XIV MAMMY JUNE HELPS Of course, Russ Bunker should not have done it. He was always ready to try new things and wasn't much afraid of anything that turned up. But trying to catch a big catfish with his hands was ridiculous. Perhaps he realized this when he fell off the log into the stream; but it was too late then to know how foolish it was. The chorus of screams from the children on the bank was the first announcement that Mammy June had of the mischief that was afoot. The colored children shouted and Frane, Junior, ran right off the log and came screaming to the cabin: "He's gone down! He's gone down!"