“I’ll work, all right, for everything I hook here,” panted Jerry, after ten minutes had passed, and he tossed his exhausted prize over to the bank.

But he would not give up.  Where one such fine, fat fellow held out there was certainly a chance for more, so he continued his fishing.

Unknown to him, Will had also wandered up that steep hillside, searching for a new view of the wonderful cataract.  Pushing through the dense thickets, he chanced to catch a glimpse of the lone fisherman.

“Now, that’s what I call a picturesque sight!  Look at the chap perched out on the very end of that log, with the water rushing below like a mill-race!  Here’s where I get you, my duck.  Fancy to what ends a fisherman will go in order to enjoy his favorite sport.”

Will seemed to forget entirely that he was willing to undertake just as long a pilgrimage and buck up against as difficult problems simply to get one snapshot that appealed to his soul.

“There!  He’s got another fish on!  My!  How it pulls!  I wouldn’t be out on that log, doing such a job, for anything.  But I just bet Jerry is as happy as a clam.  He sets his teeth, and holds on as if he had a whale, and perhaps it is a big un!  I must get him again in that position.  Why, although he don’t know it, he’s just giving me the best thing of the day!”

Will rapidly adjusted his camera, and looked down to see that he had the proper focus before snapping the shutter.  The light was good up there, and he believed he must have the greatest success with such a picture as that.  Besides, it had the genuine article of life in it, which he always sought in taking his views.

Then he pressed his finger, in the belief that he was about to snatch a snapshot bound to give the four chums the keenest satisfaction in days to come.

“Oh!”

The startled exclamation broke involuntarily from the lips of Will even at the very second he took his picture, and he let his beloved camera fall to the ground, at the risk of doing it some material damage.

It was not this seeming mishap that had brought the startled cry from his lips, but the crash of sundering wood, and the sudden disappearance of the lone fisherman below the rim of the river bank; for the log had finally betrayed Jerry, and dropped him into that swirling, maddening current above the high falls!

CHAPTER XIII

AN INVADER IN CAMP

Will dashed madly toward the river bank.  It happened that he was somewhat below the point where Jerry’s mishap had come about.  Hence, he was able to reach the edge of the stream in a dozen seconds.

Even that short time had been enough to sweep the imperiled lad past the place.  Will was thrilled with horror to see his chum in the midst of the churning current, trying to cling to a slippery rock, from which insecure hold he was being gradually but surely sucked by the fierce power exerted by the rushing stream.