Captain Wiggs had some business to transact in Detroit, and spent nearly all of the next day there, giving the boys a chance to go ash.o.r.e and see some of the sights. They resumed their trip that evening, through Lake St. Clair, and proceeding without stop to Lake Huron.

Emerging well out upon this vast body of inland water, the boys, one bright morning, got a fine view of it.

"Isn't it--isn't it big!" exclaimed Fenn. "It's--it's simply--"

"Help him out, Ned," suggested Bart. "You ought to have some big adjectives on hand, left over from that last French history lesson.

This is too much for Stumpy."

"It certainly is a lot of water," commented Frank. "I thought Lake Erie was big, but this seems to beat it."

The boys stood at the rail, absorbed in the contemplation of the beautiful scene before them. Captain Wiggs too, though he had viewed the lake many times, could not but admire the beauty of it as it sparkled in the morning sun.

One of the men from the engine room suddenly appeared on deck, and, standing behind the commander, who was explaining something to the boys, waited until the captain had finished.

"Did you wish to see me?" asked Mr. Wiggs, turning to the man.

"Yes, sir. Mr. McDougall told me to ask you to step below, sir."

"What's the trouble?" for the man seemed a little uneasy.

"I don't know exactly, sir, but I think it's a leak."

"A leak?"

"Yes, sir. Mr. McDougall thinks some of the forward plates have started."

"It must have been the storm," commented Captain Wiggs, as he hastened below. "Yet it's a good while taking effect. I hope it isn't serious."

CHAPTER XII

NED GETS A FISH

"Hark!" exclaimed Bart. "What's that sound?"

"The pumps!" replied Fenn. "They've started 'em. It must be a bad leak.

We'd better get life preservers."

"Don't get excited," counseled Frank coolly. "Wait until you see how bad it is. These steamers are all built with water-tight compartments, and it would take quite a hole to make one of them sink. The starting of a few plates wouldn't do it."

His words calmed his chums, and, when Captain Wiggs came on deck, a few minutes later, he announced that the leak was not a serious one, though it would be necessary to go ash.o.r.e to make repairs.

It was found, on docking the _Modoc_ that the repairs would take about a week, and this period the boys spent in making excursions on sh.o.r.e, in the vicinity of the town. They had a good time, and the delay did not seem very long because of the many interesting sights.

They visited a large saw mill where the logs, that had been brought down the lake in big rafts, were cut up into lumber, and the foreman of the plant showed them the various processes through which the tree trunks went before they were turned out in the shape of boards, planks or timbers.

"Well, we'll start in the morning, boys," announced Captain Wiggs one night. "The _Modoc_ is in good shape again, and we'll have to make good time from now on, because of our delays."

Early the next morning the vessel was under way again. Out on Lake Huron it steamed, plowing through the blue waters, under a sunny sky, while a gentle breeze stirred up little waves.

"Why don't you boys do some fishing?" asked Captain Wiggs, as he noticed the four chums sitting near the after rail, talking among themselves.

"We didn't know we could catch anything here," replied Ned.

"I don't either," was the captain's answer, "but you can't tell until you try. There is plenty of tackle aboard, and you might land something nice. There are fish in the lake--plenty of 'em. The thing to do is to catch 'em."

The boys needed no other invitation, and soon they had lines trailing over the stern of the ship, far enough away from the screw to avoid getting tangled in the blades. Mr. Ackerman, the sick pa.s.senger, who has improved considerably, also took a line, and joined the boys.

"Let's see who gets the biggest fish," proposed Ned.

"Let's see who gets the first one," supplemented Bart. "That's the best test."

It did not look as if luck was going to be very good, for the lines had been over half an hour, and no one had had so much as a nibble.

"This is getting tiresome," spoke Ned, as he a.s.sumed a more comfortable position in his chair. Then he tied his line to his wrist, propped his feet up on the rail, and lounged back.

"Well, if that isn't a lazy way of fishing!" exclaimed Frank. "Why don't you sit up?"

"I will when I get a bite," replied Ned.

They resumed their waiting, with that patience which is, or ought to be, part of every angler's outfit. Suddenly Frank nudged Bart and pointed to Ned. The latter had fallen asleep in his chair.

"Let's play a joke on him," proposed Fenn in a whisper. "I'll tie him fast in his chair."

"No, let's pull up his line and fasten an old shoe, or something like that to it," proposed Frank. "He'll think he has a big bite."

They started to put this plan into operation, when, as they were about to pull up Ned's line, they saw it suddenly straighten out.

"He's got a bite!" exclaimed Fenn.

"Yes, and a whopper, too," added Frank.

"Look at it!" cried Bart, as some big fish, at the stern of the boat, leaped out of the water and fell back with a splash.

Then the line about Ned's wrist tightened. He felt the pull and awakened.

"I've got him!" he cried. "I've got the biggest one!"

The next moment he went sprawling from his chair, while his arm was straightened out in front of him, for the strong line, to which a big fish was attached, was fairly pulling him along.

"Look out! He'll go overboard!" cried Mr. Ackerman.

Bart made one leap, and grabbed Ned around the waist. This saved the luckless youth from being pulled over the rail, but it did not release him from his predicament.

"Oh! Ouch!" cried Ned. "It's pulling my arm off!"