Dick was anxious to try it, and took the line from John Barrow's hands. He was equally successful, and in a short while they had seven fish to their credit, weighing from a quarter to three-quarters of a pound apiece. "I'm going to tie a fish to the top of the pole," said Dick. "They may be hungry when they get here, especially if they miss the pole at our last camping place." "They won't want to eat raw fish, lad." "No, and I'm going to put a few matches in a paper and tie it to the fish, so they can cook it, if they wish." Dick's idea was followed out, and once more they went on, up a narrow stream which had many a turn among the cedar brakes and hemlocks which lined either side. Rocks were likewise numerous, and the lad came to the conclusion that locating the treasure was going to be no easy task. "It's rather desolate," he remarked. "I wonder what ever possessed that old Goupert to come here?" "It's not so desolate in the summer time, Dick. But I reckon Goupert was a mighty odd stick, as it was." At last they rounded a turn in the stream and came in sight of Bear Pond, a long and wide stretch of water located in the very midst of two tall mountains. The pond was covered with thick ice, and the snow lay upon it in long drifts and ridges. The ice was blackish and almost as hard as flint. "We may as well go into camp near the mouth of this stream," said Dick. "For from this spot we'll make our first hunt for the treasure." "I hope with all my heart that you find it, lad. But if you don't, don't be too disappointed." "I want to find Sam and Tom first. I shan't hunt for the treasure until I know of them." "That's right. We'll go on a hunt this afternoon, jest as soon as we've had some of these fish broiled for dinner." If there was one thing which John Barrow could do to perfection, it was to broil fish, and the meal he set before Dick half an hour later was so appetizing the lad could not help enjoy it, in spite of his anxiety over his brothers' prolonged absence. The fish was as sweet as a nut, and both lingered some time over the meal, until all that had been broiled were gone. "And now to find Tom and Sam," said Dick, at last, as he leaped up from the log upon which he had been sitting. "What shall we do with our things?" "Here is a hole in the rocks," answered the guide. "We'll hide them there and cover them with stones. I don't think anything will disturb the things between now and nightfall." The stores were placed in the cache and carefully covered, so that the wild animals might not get at them, and then they saw to it that their firearms were ready for use. A minute later they were off, on the hunt for Tom and Sam. CHAPTER XXI. A PAIR OF PRISONERS. It is high time that we return to Tom and Sam, and learn how the two Rover boys were faring in their unequal contest with Dan Baxter and his followers.