Even the horses seemed to know that the water was close by, for they acted as if given new life, pushing on with a vim that had been lacking during the earlier part of the day. And so, about an hour before sundown, they came upon the Missouri once more, flowing peacefully between its wide banks, and at this season of the year rather low; so that here and there islands could be seen, as well as sandbars, on the latter of which flocks of birds sought their food. "Now let's find a good spot where we can stay until morning; and it must be a fishing place, too," Roger remarked, as they turned their horses' heads up-stream. Ten minutes later he suddenly called out: "Look! how would that little island do, Dick? We can easily let the horses wade out, because it is hardly to their knees, I feel sure. And if you examine the lower part of the island you'll agree with me that it's just the finest place to let a baited hook float down-stream anybody ever could find. Please say yes, Dick!" Roger was so urgent, and there seemed so little chance of anything like disaster following the move, that even cautions Dick could not resist. And when they put the horses to it, they found that the water, as Roger had declared, was not more than a foot or so in depth, so that the passage was easily accomplished. It was only a small island, with a few trees growing upon it, though even these showed signs of having been compelled to fight for existence when the spring freshets came along. "We might as well make camp here at this lower end, eh, Dick?" asked Roger, who had an eye on the fishing possibilities, and was anxious to get busy. Dick had been looking around, as usual, being desirous of getting the lay of the land fixed in his mind in case there should come any sudden necessity for a change of base during the night, when he would know what to do. "Just as you say, Roger," he remarked. "If we are going to camp here, one place is about the same as another to me, so long as we keep our fire well hidden. And I can see where that can be easily done among these rocks back here. The horses we can tie to the trees with their ropes, and there is enough grass to do for one night. So get busy as soon as you wish. I'll take care of everything else." "Thank you, Dick; you feel for a fellow, don't you? But then you never were just as wild for fishing as I am. Oh! don't it seem good to be back once more close to our old friend, the river? And all night long I'm sure the splash of the water on the rocks will keep me sound asleep. It's the next thing to getting home again." And in a short time Roger was attending to the several stout fish lines that he had baited, and thrown far out upon the passing current. CHAPTER XXII CAUGHT IN A RIVER TRAP