"Let us go down to the boat first and then row up and get the fish."
This suited the two boys, and soon they were making their way back over the rocks to where Jack's craft had been left. As they came out from among the trees and bushes they saw another boat on the river, headed for Riverport.
"There is Bob Bangs again!" exclaimed Randy.
"Hullo!" yelled Jack. "Have you been fishing, too?"
"Yes," answered the big boy, and continued to row down the river.
"Fine," was the short answer, and then Bob Bangs' craft drew out of hearing.
"He was in a tremendous hurry," mused Jack.
"Perhaps he didn't want us to see what he had caught," answered Randy.
"That's likely it, Randy. I don't believe he knows as much about fishing as I do--and that is little enough."
Having secured the rowboat, Randy and Jack rowed up to the fishing hole, and Randy scrambled up the rocks to secure their two strings of fish. He soon reached the shallow pool among the rocks in which they had been placed and drew up the two strings.
"Well, I declare!" he ejaculated, as he looked the fish over. Then he counted them carefully. "What can this mean?"
His string had held twelve fish and Jack's eight fish. Now three of the largest fish from each string were gone. He looked around with care, but could see nothing of the missing fish.
"Hullo! What's keeping you?" shouted Jack, from the boat.
"Landy! I hope the fish aren't gone!" burst out Jack, as he scrambled up the rocks and ran to where Randy was continuing the search.
The situation was soon explained and both boys hunted around in the neighborhood of the pool, thinking the fish might have gotten away in some manner. Then of a sudden Jack uttered a cry:
"Then somebody has been here and taken our fish!"
Jack began to examine the key ring and then he uttered another exclamation:
"I can't make out very well--they are so worn. I think the first is R."
Jack passed the find over and Randy examined it.
"I can make it out," said Randy. "R. A. B."
"Bob Bangs!" murmured Randy. "Could he have been mean enough to come here and take some of our fish?"
"All right. Anyway, we can make him explain how his key ring got here."
Taking what was left of the fish, the two boys hurried back to the rowboat and soon each was seated at an oar and pulling a good stroke in the direction of the town.