“Looks as if you were in for a fight!” Teddy exclaimed, watching with interest the contest between his brother and the fish. “He’s no amateur at this business, that trout! He knows his stuff!” “I’ll tell a maverick he does!” Roy said, breathing hard. “Golly, he must weigh a ton! He’s _some_ scrapper!” Suddenly the line swayed down, hanging loosely. “Now’s your chance!” Teddy shouted. “Reel in! Reel in!” Roy needed no such advice, for he was reeling in as fast as he could. Then, with a slight twang, the line tightened. Roy was still taking in slack when it happened, and he could not stop in time. There was a quick jerk, and the frayed end of the cord dangled from the tip of the rod. The fish had won. Roy threw the pole down in annoyance. “Thought I had him, sure!” he declared. “Ever see a fish act like that before? Wise as they make ’em! He just waited until I started to reel in, then stopped short and broke the line. Well, he sure timed it pretty. My respects to a clever fish,” and he removed his hat and made a mock bow. “But he’s carrying quite a weight of line,” Teddy said, with a chuckle. “He’ll have that to remember you by, Roy.” “Like fun he will!” his brother cried. “He knows his apples, that fish. He’ll just swim around a stump a few times, tangle the line in it, give a jerk and he’s free. I know that kind. Some of ’em can speak Greek and Latin.” The boys fished with fair luck for an hour or so longer, Teddy landing two large ones and Roy three smaller trout. The “whopper” that had struck Roy’s line did not return, though the ranch lad had coaxed him with all the brightly colored flies in his packet. “Getting sort of late,” Teddy remarked, as he stood on the bank adjusting a hook. “What say we cut for home? We’ve got quite a ride ahead of us, you know. Let’s get started.” Roy nodded. “I just want to make one more cast. Something tells me that the big fellow I hooked first is still hanging around. If he is, and wants some more fun, I’ll give it to him! Just once more, Teddy.” The boy drew back his rod for a cast. His arm still bent back, Teddy caught his wrist. Roy looked up in surprise. “What--” he began. Then he saw the look on his brother’s face and stopped. “Keep quiet!” Teddy whispered. “Through the bushes there! See? A man on horseback!” Roy stared intently. But he did not get a good view of the intruder, for the sound of a pony breaking trail came to the ears of the boys at that moment, and the horse and rider disappeared. “Roy, I’ll bet anything that was Froud!” Teddy exclaimed excitedly. “And he was on Flash, too! I’d know that horse among a million! Golly, that settles it! Froud is the thief!” “Are you sure it _was_ Froud?” Roy asked. “I didn’t get a good look at him--but what I saw didn’t look a great deal like Scar Face!” “He did to me!” Teddy insisted. Then the boy stepped from the side of the stream into the woods. He parted the bushes, and glanced about.