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Show 284 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. loneliness that was beginning to come over her in contemplating the long hours that would elapse before the absent fisherman would return, the Colonel's idea began to take shape. Would she like to try her own luck at fishing a few rods down the river, where he could show her a pleasant seat under the shady cottonwoods? Certainly she would. She might catch the prize fish of the river, who knew? " And seated in that sequestered nook, their ' lines falling in pleasant places," and their baits dangling in the turbid eddy, the Colonel confided to her his idea. "Did she think of it? Yes. Was it feasible? They would see. " And so, when Mr. Pike returned to camp late thal^ evening, tired, hungry, wet, and worse than all, hatless and catfishless, for he had left both in the river, he was the most discouraged and demoralized feeling man in the Arkansas valley. He complained bitterly that the only inhabitants which seemed to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and retirement were the catfish, and the only active, enterprising denizens that were always to be found were the mosquitos. " Col. Brown tried to comfort him, with little avail. Mr. Pike wanted to go back to the States. If he only had a fresh team and outfit he would start immediately. "Mrs. P. protested. She had come to stay. " Here was Mr. Pike's dilemma, and here was Colonel Brown's opportunity. Plucking Mr. P. by the coat sleeve, the Colonel led him out of the tent into the twilight, and sitting down upon a cottonwood log, gently but firmly stated a proposition. He would furnish a good team of mules, new wagon and an outfit of 'grub' for the Mis- |