FOUR BOY HUNTERS

or, The Outing of the Gun Club

by

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS I. Target Shooting and a Plan II. The Fire at the Saw Mill III. Down the River IV. The Disappearance of the Boat V. Another Start VI. A First Night in Camp VII. Something About a Strange Animal VIII. An Unwelcome Arrival IX. A Night of Discomfort X. Giant and the Maskalonge XI. In a New Camp XII. Shep and the Hollow Tree XIII. Lost in the Woods XIV. The Boys and the Wildcat XV. The Cave in the Mountain XVI. A Successful Deer Hunt XVII. The Rival CampersXVIII. A Mix-Up in Camp XIX. Another Hunt After Dark XX. In a Storm on the Lake XXI. A Camp and a Prisoner XXII. Rabbits, Nuts and a SnakeXXIII. After Mountain Brook Mink XXIV. Ham Spink and the Skunk XXV. Surrounded by Wolves XXVI. Something About TrappingXXVII. The Deserted CottageXVIII. The Boy Hunters and a Bear XXIX. A Strange Meeting in the Forest XXX. Words and a Blow XXXI. The Forest Fire---Conclusion

PREFACE

My Dear Lads:

This tale of "_Four Boy Hunters_" is a complete story in itself, butforms the first volume of a line to be called "_The Boy HuntersSeries_, " taking the heroes through various adventures while searchingfor big and little game in the woods and in the mountains. 

The boys are bright, lively fellows of to-day, with a natural tastefor a life in the open, and a fondness for a gun and a rod. In thepresent volume they organize their little club, and after a gooddeal of talk obtain permission to go a number of miles from homeand establish a camp on the edge of a lake. From this spot theyare driven away by one who is their enemy, and then they goelsewhere. They have fun and adventures in plenty, around the campand while out after both big and little game, and they help to bringto justice two men who are hiding from the officers of the law. To-day hunting in our country is not what it was some years ago. Many of the best hunting localities have become settled, and itis becoming harder and harder to catch a sight of a deer, or amoose, or a bear, or, in fact, any wild animal of size. In thefar West the buffalo has been practically wiped out, and in theEast the deer and moose would also be gone were it not for theprotection of the law, which makes it illegal to shoot down suchgame during the closed season. 

With best wishes to all who love a gun and love good hunting, I remain, Your sincere friend, Captain Ralph Bonehill. 

CHAPTER I

TARGET SHOOTING AND A PLAN

Cling!

"A bull's-eye!"

Cling!

"Another bull's-eye, I declare!"

Cling!

"Three bull's-eyes, of all things! Snap, you are getting to bea wonder with the rifle. Why, even old Jed Sanborn couldn't dobetter than that. "

Charley Dodge, a bright, manly boy of fifteen, laid down the rifleon the counter in the shooting gallery and smiled quietly. "Iguess it was more luck than anything, Shep, " he replied. "PerhapsI couldn't do it again. "

"Nonsense, " came from Sheppard Reed, also a boy of fifteen. "Youhave got it in you to shoot straight and that is all there is toit. I only wish I could shoot as well. "

"How did you fellows make out?" came from a third youth, as heentered the gallery. He was sixteen years old but hardly as largeas the average lad of ten. 

"Snap just made three bull's-eyes!" cried Shep Red. "Made themas easily as pie, too. "

"And what did you make?"

"Made one bull's-eye and two inner rings. Are you going to try yourluck, Giant?"

"Humph!---I don't think I can hit the back of the building unlessthey move it up to me, " answered Will Caslette. "But I'll takea chance, " he added, turning to the keeper of the gallery andfishing five cents from his pocket. "Got to learn to shoot ifI'm going on a hunt, you know, " he went on, to his chums. 

"Then you can go with us?" questioned Charley Dodge, quickly. 

"I think so---mother said she would tell me for certain to-morrow. "

The small youth took the rifle handed to him and aiming carefully, pulled the trigger. 

"The outer ring, " said Shep Reed. "That's not so bad but whatit might be worse, Giant. "

"Oh, it might be worse!" answered the small youth, coolly. "Imight fire out of the window and kill somebody on the back street, or hit a duck in Rackson's pond. Here goes again. "

The second shot was a little better, and the third made the bell ring, much to the small youth's delight. 

"Hullo, you fellows!" came from the doorway, a lively boy of fourteencame in, curly hair dying and a cap set far back on his head. "Been looking for you all over town for about sixteen hours. Been shooting, eh? I'll bet a can of buttermilk against a shoestringthat you all made outer rings. "

"Hullo, Whopper!" called the others. "Come in and try your luck. "

"Can't---I'm dead broke this morning, " answered Frank Dawson. "I've got to wait a year or two till my next allowance comes in. "

"Here's the money, " answered Charley Dodge, producing five cents. "Now, Whopper, don't make more than three bull's-eyes. "

"I'm going to make twenty-'leven, " answered the boy called Whopper. "Don't you know that I once went into a gallery in the city andmade one hundred bull's-eyes in succession? The proprietor faintedand didn't get over it for two months. "

"Phew! That's the biggest whopper yet!" ejaculated Giant. "Nothinglike living up to your reputation. "

The boy who could tell big stories on all occasions took up therifle and shot three times with care, and as a result placed threeinner rings to his credit. 

"That isn't bad, " said Shep Reed. "But Snap is the boss riflemanof this crowd. "

"Then we must make him the leader of our gun club, " put in Giant. "What do you say, fellows?"

"That's it!" cried the others. 

"Have you fellows got a gun club?" came from the man who kept theshooting gallery, curiously. 

"We've got something of that sort, " answered the newly declaredleader. "You see, we expect to go out on a hunting tour thisfall and so we got together and called ourselves a gun club. "

"The Fairview Gun Club, " corrected Whopper. "Nothing like givinga title that looks like something, as the French Count said whenhe called himself a duke. "

"Where is your club going?"

"Oh, just up in the mountains, back of Lake Cameron, " answeredSnap. 

"Is the hunting good there?"

"Pretty fair---so old Jed Sanborn says. "

"Well, I wish you luck. You boys are good enough shots to bringdown almost anything, " said the shooting gallery keeper. 

"Come on up to our orchard and talk things over, " said Snap, ashe led the way from the gallery, and in a moment more the boyswere on the Street and making their way to Mr. Dodge's apple orchard, a quarter of a mile from the center of the town. The other boysknew as well as Snap that there were some fine fall pippins inthe orchard, and, like all growing lads, each loved a good apple. 

The town of Fairview was not a large one. There was one mainstreet and a side street running to the little depot, at whicheight trains stopped daily. There were fifteen shops and stores, a hotel and three churches. The houses numbered less than a hundredin the town proper, although many others were located in the richfarming district close by. Fairview was situated on the RockyRiver, which, ten miles below, flowed into a beautiful sheet ofwater called Lake Cameron. The town was noted for its naturalbeauty, and in the summertime not a few tourists stopped there. 

One of the principal men of the community was Mr. Dodge, Charley'sfather. He was rich, but preferred to live on his farm insteadof moving to the town or the city. He was a school trustee andalso held an interest in the summer hotel and in one of the bigsaw mills on the river. 

Sheppard Reed was the only son of a local physician, who, duringthe past twenty years, had built up a substantial practice inand around Fairview. Shep and Snap, as they were always called, were close chums, and once in a while their own folks would referto them as the Twins. 

Frank Dawson had moved to Fairview only two years before, buthad become a general favorite among the boys. He had a habitof exaggerating most woefully, and this had gained for him thenickname of Whopper. From this it must not be inferred that Frankcould not tell the truth, for, when it came to the pinch the ladwas as truthful as anybody. His "whoppers" were always so bigthat everybody recognized them as such instantly. 

Will Caslette, always called Billy or Giant, was the son of aFrench widow lady who had come to Fairview on the death of herhusband, seven years before. The widow had just enough to liveon comfortably, and she took a great pride in her offspring, eventhough he was so small in stature. But though Billy was smallhe was "all there, " as the other boys said, and promised to becomea man, every inch of him. 

Arriving at the orchard, the four boys walked to one of the bestof the apple trees and with a stick brought down a dozen of thefinest apples. Then they selected a warm spot in the sunshine, threw themselves on the sward, and began to eat and discuss theirplans at the same time. 

"It's a regular windfall for us that the old schoolhouse is goingto be shut up next Wednesday, " said Snap. "Just think of twomonths of loafing. "

"Bless the storm that ripped off part of the roof, " came from Shep. 

"And bless the fact that they can't get it mended right away, "was Will's comment. "I don't believe they'll open again untilafter the holidays. "

"Of course they won't, " said Whopper. "They can't do it. They'vegot to put on a new roof, mend the water pipes, reset the steps, paint the place, and do sixteen hundred and one things. "

"The best thing we can do is to make all arrangements for goingon our tour bright and early Monday morning, " went on Snap. "Wewill have from now on to get ready in. That will be plenty oftime. "

"Humph! I could get ready in an hour, " murmured Whopper. "What'sthere to do anyway? Pick up our guns, pack up some grub, takealong a tent and some fishing tackle, and there you are. Easyas sliding off a banana peel. "

"Is it?" came from Snap. "That's all you know about it. In thefirst place, you must remember that this is no outing for a dayor two, or even a week. We have got to take supplies for at leasta month, if not two months. And I don't want to live in a tentwhen it gets good and cold. We've got to build a shack of somesort. There will be a hundred and one things to do before weare ready to start. And it is going to cost something, too. "

"How much?" asked Giant, anxiously. "Please don't make the amounttoo high, or I won't be able to stand for my share. "

"We'll figure it out, " said Snap, producing a note-book and apencil. "I suppose when it comes to such things as flour, sugar, salt, coffee and the like, we can get them from our homes. Butthere are other things that we will have to buy. For instance, we will need plenty of powder and shot, and we'll want to takemedicines and plasters along, in case of accidents-----"

"I can get those from my father, " interrupted Shep. "He has anemergency case that will be just the thing. "

"How about-----" began Giant, when he stopped short, to gaze ata man who was running down the road at top speed. "Hullo, Mr. Harrison!" he called. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Goin' to the fire!" was the puffed-out answer. 

"Fire?" ejaculated all of the boys, leaping to their feet. "Where?"

"Down the river. Reckon it's the Barnaby mill, " and the man wenton his way. 

The boys gazed down the river and saw a thick volume of smokerolling skyward. Men and boys were running toward it from everydirection. 

"It's the mill, as sure as fate!" cried Snap. "Come on, I'm goingto the fire, fellows!" And away he started. 

"Isn't that the mill in which your father owns an interest?" askedWhopper. 

"Yes; he owns a third share, " answered Snap. 

CHAPTER II

THE FIRE AT THE SAW MILL

It was indeed the Barnaby place that was going up in flames, andalready the fire had gained much headway. The place was composedof the saw mill proper and half a dozen sheds used for the storageof cut lumber. The plant was valued at thirty thousand dollars, so if it was swept away the loss would be a heavy one. 

The mill was a good half mile from the orchard, but the boys wereall good runners and covered the distance in a few minutes, Shepand Snap arriving there first and little Giant bringing up therear, with a face as red as a beet. 

A dozen men and boys were on hand, besides the mill workers, anda bucket brigade had been formed to throw buckets of water takenfrom the river on the flames. Some men were bringing out a lineof hose, which was presently attached to the engine of the millitself. 

"I am going to help here!" cried Snap, throwing off his coat, and he went to work with a will and the other lads did the same. The buckets of water came along swiftly, but for a long timeit looked as if the whole plant was doomed to destruction. Thefire was in a shed next to the saw mill itself, a place one endof which was used as an office by the mill company. The windwas blowing the sparks directly to the mill proper. 

"Phew! but this is hot work!" cried one of the men. "Can't standthis much longer. "

"Don't give up!" pleaded the master of the mill. "Perhaps thewind will change. "

It certainly was warm work, as all of the boys found out. Thesparks and brands were dropping over them, and once Snap's shirtsleeve caught fire, while Shep had a spark blister his neck andcause him to let out a yell like an Indian. 

In the midst of the excitement, Mr. Dodge arrived, and a momentlater the local fire engine, an old-fashioned affair purchasedfrom a neighboring city. The stream of water, however, did goodservice, and the fire was kept largely to the shed in which ithad started. The mill itself caught a dozen times, but the flameswere extinguished before they did material damage. Finally thewind veered around, blowing the sparks toward a cleared spot inthe woods, and then all saw that the worst of the affair was over. But men and boys kept at their labors, and did not stop untilevery spark of the conflagration had been extinguished. 

"Now it is over, I am going down to the river and wash up, " saidSnap to Shep, and they walked to the edge of the stream, followedby Whopper and Giant. "I feel dirty from head to foot. "

"Your father can be thankful that the mill didn't go, " said Whopper. "Gosh, what a blaze! I thought the whole county was going to burnup. I got burnt in about 'leventeen hundred spots. "

"And I let a bucket of water drop on my foot, " put in Giant. "Say, but didn't the edge of the bucket feel nice on my littletoe!" and he limped along to the water's edge. 

Having washed up, the boys returned to the scene of the fire. They found the mill master, Tom Neefus, in earnest conversationwith Mr. Dodge. 

"You saw the rascal do it?" asked Snap's father. 

"I certainly did, " replied Tom Neefus. "I started to catch him, but then I came back to put out the blaze. I made up my mindit would be better to stop the fire than catch the man, even thoughhe was such a villain. "

"Who's a villain, father?" asked Shep. 

"The man who started this fire. "

"Did a man start it?" asked the boy, while several others drewcloser to listen. 

"So Mr. Neefus says. He caught the fellow at the office desk. In a corner the fellow had thrown a pile of shavings and saturatedit with oil. As he ran away he threw a handful of lighted matchesinto the shavings and they caught instantly. "

"I suppose he did that so that he could get away. He knew themen around here would try to save the property instead of goingafter him. "

"Exactly, Charley. He must have been a cold-blooded villain todo such a thing, for it might have been the means of burning downeverything, " continued Mr. Dodge. 

"What was he doing at the desk, Mr. Dodge?" asked Shep. 

"He was evidently looking for money or something of value. "

"Did he get anything?"

"Nothing, so far as Mr. Neefus knows. The safe was locked up, I believe. "

The strong-box mentioned stood in a corner of the office, andthe fire had swept all around it. It was quite hot, but aftersome more water had been poured over it the master of the millthrew it open. 

"The books are all right---the fire wasn't hot enough to touchthem, " said Tom Neefus. "I don't think---Ha!"

He stopped short, gazing into a small compartment of the safe. Then his brow contracted. 

"What have you discovered?" questioned Mr. Dodge, quickly. 

"The money is gone---and also those papers to that tract of landat Spur Road!"

"The money? How much money?"

"Three hundred and fifty dollars. "

"But I thought you said you had the safe locked, " went on Mr. Dodge. 

"I did have it locked. He must have opened it and then shut itup again before he went at the desk. "

The announcement by the master of the mill created something ofa sensation, and soon all the men and boys in the vicinity gatheredto learn the particulars of the robbery. It was learned thatthe man who had perpetrated the deed was a tall, slim individualwho limped with his left foot when he ran. He had disappearedinto the forest bordering the river, and that was the last seenof him. He had red hair and a stubby red moustache. 

That very evening a reward of one hundred dollars was offeredby the mill company for the capture of the thief, and men andboys for miles around went on the hunt, but without success. Mr. Dodge and the other men of the concern were very much worried, but could do nothing further. The county authorities appearedto be helpless, although the sheriff and two deputies spent twodays in trying to get some trace of the criminal. It was as ifthe earth had opened and swallowed him up. 

The loss of the money was bad enough, but it was learned by Snapthat this was not the worst of the affair by any means. For along time the mill company had had a dispute with another lumberconcern over the right to cut timber in a locality known as theSpur Road. The Barnaby Company had certain papers for thisright---getting them after much trouble. Now these papers were gone, and the dispute about the Spur Road tract might be again opened. 

"I wish I had those papers back, " said Mr. Dodge. "If I had themI shouldn't mind the loss of the money so much, although threehundred and fifty dollars is not an amount to be sneezed at. "

"Can the thief sell the papers to the Felps Lumber Company, father?"asked Snap. 

"He might do that---if they were mean enough to buy them. ButI rather think the Felps folks would be above that---althoughthey are very, very bitter against us. They can't get any moretimber to cut around here, and they don't want to move their plant. The Spur Road tract will keep our mill busy for at least threeyears. "

The excitement of the mill fire and the search after the thiefkept the four boys from speaking of the proposed outing for severaldays. But as soon as the school closed they met at Snap's houseto complete their arrangements. 

It had been no easy matter for the four to obtain permission toleave home on such an extended trip. Mr. Dodge and Dr. Reed werewilling enough, for they had gone out in a similar fashion whenboys, and thought it would do their sons good, but with Frank'sfolks it was different, and Giant's mother shook her head decidedly, and only gave in after a long consultation with the doctor, whohad become her physician. 

"They will be safe enough, do not fear, " said Dr. Reed. "Boyshave to become self-reliant, Mrs. Caslette, and the time to startis when they are young. " After that the widow said no more, andso it was settled, so far as Giant was concerned. Then the threeboys talked the matter over with Whopper's folks, and at lastthey gave in also, and then the boys danced a regular war-dancein Whopper's back yard, which made even Mrs. Dawson laugh. 

"Well, boys will be boys, " she said. "But I do hope they don'trun into a bear or shoot themselves. "

"They are all good shots and know how to handle their guns, " answeredMr. Dawson. "They ought to be able to get along. Mr. Dodge toldme privately he was going to have old Jed Sanborn keep an eyeon them, and Sanborn is one of the most reliable hunters and guidesin this district. "

As soon as it was settled, the boys began to get their storesready. It was decided to go down the river as far as Lake Cameronin a rowboat belonging to the Dodges, and from there "tote" theiroutfit to wherever they decided to camp. If one spot did notsuit after stopping there they would move on to some other point. 

The outfit was no light one, when it was all gotten together. For clothing, each youth had an extra set of underwear and somesocks. Each carried a pair of shoes and wore boots, and alsohad a coat that would do for both rain and warmth. 

Their stores consisted principally of flour, beans, bacon, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, condensed milk, and a few vegetables, somefresh and others canned. For cooking purposes they had a "nest"of pots and pans, of the lightest ware obtainable, and for eatingcarried tin plates and tin cups, and also knives, forks and spoons. 

Each boy wanted to take along his shotgun, and in addition theytook a rifle belonging to Mr. Dodge and a pistol loaned to themby Dr. Reed. Each youth also carried a serviceable pocket-knifeand a waterproof match-safe. 

"I think we've got about all we need now, " said Snap, after lookingat the collection. "Now all we want is those rubber blanketsand the flannel ones, and then we shall be about ready to start. "

"Will the rowboat hold the load?" questioned Whopper. "It seemsto me there is about two thousand times too much stuff. "

"The boat has got to hold it, " came from Giant. "But what I amthinking of is, what a job we'll have carrying the load after weleave the boat. "

"Well, if it's too heavy we can make two trips instead of one, "said Shep, and so it was agreed. 

CHAPTER III

DOWN THE RIVER

When Snap awoke on Sunday morning, he was very much discouraged, for the sky was overcast, and by church-time it was raining steadily. 

"This will make it beastly for a start, " he grumbled, while onhis way to church in the family carriage. 

"Never mind, " answered his father. "You can start Tuesday aswell as Monday. "

"I'd rather start on time, " answered the impatient boy. His mindwas so taken up by the proposed outing he could scarcely bringhimself to listen to the sermon; and what was true of Snap wasalso largely true of the others. 

By nightfall the rain cleared away, and when Snap went to bedthe moon was shining brightly. The boy could hardly go to sleep, and when he slumbered, dreamed of being in camp, with wolves andbears and deer on all sides of him. Then he dreamed that it beganto hail, louder and louder, and he awoke to hear some pebblesbeing thrown against the window-pane. He sprang up, rushed tothe window and saw Giant standing in the yard, fully ready fora start. 

"Hullo, you! How long are you going to snooze?" demanded thesmall youth. "I've been ready for an hour. Don't you know thatthis is the all-important day?"

"I do!" cried Snap. "What time is it?"

"Half-past six. I wanted to start by six. "

"We're to start at eight o'clock, " answered Snap, and hurriedinto his clothing with all possible speed. 

By seven o'clock all of the boys had had a good breakfast andthen they bid their folks good-by and hurried down to the river. It was a glorious morning, as clear as crystal after the rain, and with just the faintest breeze blowing. 

The stores had been packed away on Saturday in a boathouse nearby, and it was an easy matter to transfer them to the rowboat. Thecraft was rather crowded with goods and boys, but the lads madethe best of it. Only two could use the oars, so they took turnsat rowing, Snap and Whopper taking the blades at first, with Giantin the bow and Shep in the stern, steering. 

Nearly everybody in the town had heard about the outing, and manycame to see them off. 

"They'll be back in a week, " said one big boy, with a laugh. "Just wait till they catch a rainy spell. "

"You're only mad because you can't go along, Ham Spink!" cried Snap. 

"Bah! I wouldn't go with you!" retorted Ham Spink. "When I goout I'll do it in first-class style and with an A1 guide. Nolittle two-cent trip for me. "

Hamilton Spink was the son of a very aristocratic man who hadcome to Fairview a year before. Ham, as all the boys called him, was very much of a dude and always thought himself superior tothe regular town boys. He smoked cigarettes and played pool andgolf and rode horseback, and did as much "showing off" as he possiblycould. As a consequence the majority of the boys detested him. 

"This isn't a two-cent trip!" cried Shep. "I don't thank you tocall it such. "

"I'll call it what I please, " muttered the dudish youth. 

"Oh, dry off and keep cool!" came from Whopper, and he allowedhis oar to slip on purpose, sending a shower of water over theyouth on the dock. 

"Hi! hi! stop!" came angrily, as Ham backed away. "How dareyou do such a thing!" and the dudish boy got out a silk handkerchiefand began to wipe the water from his face and high collar. 

"Excuse me, " answered Whopper, drily. "I beg two million pardons, Ham. You see, I was holding the oar this way and I turned itso, and I---well, I declare, there she goes again!" And oncemore poor Ham received a shower of water over his rather elegantsuit. 

"I'll---I'll have, the constable lock you up!" spluttered the dudishboy, backing away rapidly. "This is---er---outrageous---I'll---I'll tell your folks!"

"That's right, be a tattle-tale!" came from Giant, and then hebegan to sing softly. 

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!Ham's the best of meat!"

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!Ham is good and sweet!"

"You stop that!" roared Ham Spink, and then, as a dozen boys onthe dock took up the darky song, he turned and strode away, withhis rather short nose tilted high in the air. 

"Do you think he'll call on our folks about this?" whispered Whopper, somewhat anxiously. "I shouldn't like to leave under a cloud. "

"Oh! he hasn't got backbone enough to make trouble, " answeredShep. But Shep was mistaken, as we shall learn later. 

The rowboat was now some distance from the dock, and with a finalwave of the hand the boys began the journey to Lake Cameron. 

In a straight line the lake was about ten miles from the town, but the river was a winding one, so they had a row of over thirteenmiles before them. 

"I hope we haven't forgotten anything, " said Whopper. "It wouldbe a shame to have to go back, eh, fellows?"

"We are not going back, " returned Giant. "If anything has beenleft behind we will have to get along without it. "

Having left the town behind, the boys reached a point on the streamwhere the trees and bushes were thick on either side. They turnedin toward the left bank, where the sun was not quite so strong, for in spite of the fact that it was fall it promised to be warm. 

"Be careful along here, " cautioned Shep. "There are some bigrocks just under the surface. "

He had scarcely spoken when there came a terrific bump which almostthrew him overboard. Whopper was sent sprawling on his side, and his oar sent a shower of water over Giant. 

"Wow!" came from Whopper. "Say, did we strike a fortress or what?I thought I was going to the bottom sure!"

"I said to be careful, " answered Shep, as the craft sheered off. "Either move out to the middle of the stream or else go slower. "

"No use of moving to the middle of the stream now, " said Giant. "I want to land a short distance below here. "

"What for?" asked the others. 

"I'll show you when we get there. "

Presently they came to a clearing where there was a cornfield. Beyond this was a fine apple orchard, and looking among the treesthey espied some especially fine apples. 

"We may as well take a few along, " said Giant. 

"Who owns the orchard?" questioned Whopper. 

"Pop Lundy, " answered Snap. "The meanest farmer in this district. "

"Then he won't give us any apples, " declared Whopper. 

"We'll have to make an appropriation, " said Giant, coolly. "Heowes me some, anyway. I once did an errand for him in town andhe hardly gave me a thank you for it. "

"If he catches us he will make it warm. "

"We'll keep our eyes peeled. "

After a few words more the rowboat was run up under some bushesand all leaped ashore. They made their way through the bushesinto the orchard proper and then hurried for the tree that seemedto be bearing the best of the fruit. 

"These apples are certainly all right, " remarked Shep, bitinginto one which was extra juicy. "We may as well take all we cancarry of them. "

It was no easy task to get at the apples, which were rather highup, and one after another the boys got up into the lower branchesand then mounted higher. Here they stuffed their pockets untilit was impossible to carry another one. 

"Well, boys, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay up there, hey?"

The question came from the foot of the tree, and, much alarmed, the four gazed below, to see Pop Lundy standing there, with astout whip in his hand. 

"I say, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay there?" went onthe mean farmer, with a glare at them. 

"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Lundy?" cried Snap, as cheerfully as hecould. "We were just rowing by and we thought we'd sample yourapples. "

"Really neow, thet was kind, wasn't it?" said the farmer, sarcastically. "Jest come deown and ye can sample this cowhide o' mine. "

"Thanks, but I just as soon stay here, " came softly from Giant. 

"Fine work to be cotched at, " went on Pop Lundy. "Stealin' apoor man's fruit. Come deown an' I'll tan yer hide well fer ye!"

He was very angry and now he shook his cowhide whip at them. 

At that instant, quite unintentionally, Shep let an apple coredrop from his hand. Pop Lundy was looking up when the core hithim plumb in the left eye. 

"Yeou villain!" he cried, dancing around. "Want fer to put myeye eout, hey? Oh, wait till I git my hands on ye, I'll showye a thing or two!"

"Mr. Lundy, supposing we agree to pay you for the apples?" questionedSnap, after an awkward pause. 

"How much?" demanded the farmer, cautiously. He was a good dealof a miser and money was very dear to him. 

"Oh, a fair price. "

"Don't pay him a cent, " whispered Giant. "Let us all drop andrun for it. "

"If we do that he may report the matter at home and make troublethat way, " went on Snap. "He can't charge us only a few centsfor what we have taken. "

"Will ye give me a dollar fer the apples?" asked Pop Lundy. 

"A dollar!" ejaculated Whopper. "Humph! I can get a barrel ofthese apples for a dollar!"

"No, yeou can't! I'm a-goin' to git six dollars fer 'em---they'rethe best in these air parts. Make it a dollar an' I'll let ye go. "

"This is a regular hold-up, " muttered Shep. "Offer him twenty-fivecents. "

At that moment came a loud cry from the direction of the farmhouse, which was located at the upper end of the orchard. 

"Help! help! Simon! Simon! Help me!" came in the voice of a woman. 

CHAPTER IV

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT

"Something is wrong sure!" exclaimed Snap, as the cry from thefarmhouse was repeated. 

He looked below and saw that Pop Lundy was running away, in thedirection of the cry for assistance. 

"Now is our chance to get away!" cried Whopper, and dropped tothe ground, while the others did the same. 

"Wait!" came from Snap. "That sounds as if somebody was in greattrouble. Hadn't we better go and see what it means?"

"And get caught by Pop Lundy?" queried Giant. 

"I don't care, " put in Shep. "If I can help a lady I am goingto do it. "

He hurried off in the direction Simon Lundy had taken and oneafter another his chums followed. To get to the back door ofthe farmhouse they had to pass around a chicken house and a pigsty, and as they were doing this they saw a burly negro leap arail fence not far away. 

"What is it, Jane?" they heard the farmer cry, as he dashed intothe house. 

There was no reply, and coming to the door, the four boys sawthat the farmer's wife lay back in a kitchen chair in a dead faint. 

"Sumbuddy hez killed her, I guess!" moaned Simon Lundy. "Oh, where is the villain?"

"She isn't dead, only fainted, " answered Shep, who had assistedhis father on more than one occasion. "Got some smelling saltsin the house?"

"I dunno. Ye kin look in the closets. "

Shep and the others did so, and soon the son of the physicianfound something that was beneficial. Yet it was several minutesbefore the lady of the farm came to her senses and opened hereyes. 

"Where is he?" she murmured. "Take him away! Take him away!"

"Who are ye a-talkin' about, Jane?" demanded the husband. 

"Thet---he---oh, Simon, is it you? Why didn't you come before?"

"Couldn't---cos I had these young whelps up an apple tree. Butwot is it all about anyhow?"

"The big negro---he wanted something to eat, and then he got saucyand he picked up your watch from the mantelpiece-----"

"My watch!" The miserly farmer sprang to the mantelpiece. "It'sgone, sure enough!" he groaned. 

"I saw the negro!" cried Snap. "He jumped that fence out thereas we came up. "

"That's right, " put in Whopper. "He was running like a houseafire, too. "

"Where did he go?"

Nobody knew, but some thought he might have taken to the road. Finding his wife had not been harmed, only badly scared, SimonLundy ran out to the road and gazed up and down, and the boysdid the same. 

"I don't see nuthin', " said Pop Lundy. 

"Let us run down the road a bit, fellows, " suggested Shep. 

"Will ye come back?" asked the farmer, anxiously. "I---er---Iwon't say nuthin' about them apples. "

"Yes, we'll be back, " answered Snap. 

The boys spent the best part of an hour on the road, hunting upand down for some trace of the negro, but without success. Theyknew he was short and stocky and wore a light, checked suit, butthat was all. 

When they returned to the farmhouse they heard Mrs. Lundy's storyin detail. She had been on the point of sweeping the sitting-roomwhen the negro had appeared and asked for Mr. Lundy. She hadtold him her husband was out, and then the colored man had wantedsomething to eat. She had refused to give him anything, and then, seeing the watch on the mantelpiece, he had snatched the timepieceand run. She had screamed for assistance and then fainted fromexcitement. 

"Was the watch a valuable one?" asked Snap. 

"Yes, it was, " answered Simon Lundy. "It was gold and given tome by my father years ago. I wouldn't take a hundred dollarsfer it nohow. I was mighty careless to leave it on the mantelpiece, but I didn't want to carry it around in the orchard when I pickedapples. "

"What will you do about it?" asked Shep. 

"I dunno. Go tew teown an' tell the constable, I guess. Be yeougoin' to town?"

"No; we are off on a hunting trip, " answered Giant. "And, by the way, we had better be getting back to the boat, " he added to his chums. 

"Mr. Lundy, we'll give you a quarter for those apples, " said Shep. 

"All right, as ye please, " said the old farmer. He was so upsetover the loss of his watch he could think of nothing else. 

The boys passed over the money---that is, Shep did, for he hadbeen appointed treasurer of the expedition. Then, after a fewwords more, the young hunters hurried back through the orchardto where they had left their rowboat among the bushes. 

"Gosh! what a mean man!" was Whopper's comment. "To take thatmoney after what we did to catch that negro. "

"It isn't likely that he'll get his gold watch back, " said Giant. "That nigger will shake the dust of this locality from his feetas fast as he can. "

"More than likely he belongs in some big city, " was Whopper'scomment. "That is the way those chaps do---go to a lonely farmhouseand make sure the men are away and then take what they can layhands on. If he hadn't heard Pop Lundy and us coming he wouldmost likely have ransacked the house from end to end. "

They were soon at the river bank and forcing their way throughthe bushes. Then Snap looked around in perplexity. 

"Isn't this the spot where we left the boat?" he questioned, gravely. 

"I think so, " answered Shep. 

"Well, I don't see it. "

"Don't see it!" exclaimed Whopper, who was in the rear. "Why, itmust be here. "

All came out on the edge of the river and gazed up and down theshore in alarm. Not a sight of the boat was to be seen anywhere. 

"Wonder if she floated off?" suggested Giant. 

"She couldn't, " answered Shep. "I tied her up, and did it good, too. There is the exact spot, " and he pointed out a stout bush. In the dirt of the bank was the mark of the rowboat's sharp bow. 

"Look there!" ejaculated Whopper. "See the size of thosefootprints---as big as canal-boats. Do you know what I think?" healmost shouted. 

"That nigger ran off with our boat!" came in a chorus from the others. 

"That's it. See, there is where he came along the shore. Hemeant to hide here, when he came across the boat. He saw it waswell filled with things and jumped in, and I suppose he rowedoff as fast as he could, " added Whopper, bitterly. "Oh, wouldn'tI like to catch him! I'd make mince-meat of him, I would!"

Whopper stopped short, and all of the boys looked at each otherblankly. For some seconds nobody spoke, but each was busy withhis thoughts. 

"If we can't find the boat-----" began Snap. 

"We'll have to return home and give up the trip, " finished Giant. "Oh, I don't want to do that!"

"Nor I!" came from the others. 

"We must find our boat, that is all there is to it, " said Snap. "I don't believe he went up the river, consequently he must havegone down. "

"Then let us get another boat and follow him. "

"That's the talk!"

But where to get another boat was a question. 

Snap ran back to the farmhouse and met Pop Lundy at the door. 

"Thought you boys was a-goin' down the river, " said the farmer, suspiciously. 

"We have learned what became of that nigger. "

"What?"

"He took our boat and ran off with it. "

"Well, I vow! Ain't he the pesky rascal, though! Wot be yeouboys a-goin' tew do neow?"

"We want to get another boat, if possible, and follow him. Doyou know where a boat can be had?"

"Yes; Ike Welby has a boat. His farm is the next one down frommine. I'll go along. I want to catch him ez much as yeou do. "

In a few minutes they were off in a body, all of the boys accompanyingthe farmer to the next farm. Ike Welby was not at home, but hiswife said they could have the boat and welcome, and procured forthem two pairs of oars from the barn. 

"I am glad that negro didn't come here, " she declared. "I shouldhave fainted dead away, too, and he would have gotten everythingin the house. I trust you catch the rascal. "

"We be a-goin' to try mighty hard, " answered Simon Lundy. 

There was a small boathouse at the end of the grounds and herewas a good round-bottomed boat built for speed as well as pleasure, for in his younger days Ike Welby had been quite an oarsman andhad won more than one race. They ran the rowboat into the river, and all jumped in. Then Snap shoved off, and all of the boysgot at the oars. 

"Now, then, to make things hum!" said Shep. "We must try to spotthat nigger before he thinks of going ashore. "

CHAPTER V

ANOTHER START

The four young hunters were used to rowing together, so they maderapid progress when once they had caught the stroke. Simon Lundysat in the stern of the craft, gazing anxiously ahead. 

"The wuss o' it is he's got sech a tarnal good start of us, " remarkedthe farmer. "He must be a mile away by this time. "

"Never mind, we'll catch him before long, if he sticks to theriver, " said Snap, confidently. 

"Wisht I had brung a gun along. "

"Yes, that would have been a good thing, " was Shep's comment. "And that reminds me, " he added to his chums, "all of our weaponswere left in the rowboat. "

"Yes; and the nigger is well supplied with guns and pistols, "came from Whopper. "Maybe he will try to shoot us full of a millionholes when he spots us. "

"Oh, deary me! Don't say thet!" groaned Simon Lundy. "I---I don'twant to be shot at, not me!"

"He won't dare to shoot!" said Giant. "We can pretend that weare all armed, you know. "

On and on sped the rowboat, making excellent progress on thesmooth-flowing river. About a mile was covered, and they sweptaround first one bend and then another. 

"I see a boat ahead!" roared the farmer. "She's gone now, " headded, as the craft shot behind some bushes, at a point alongthe river. 

The four young oarsmen increased their stroke, and soon gainedthe point. Then the boat again came into full view and they couldsee that it was their own craft and that the colored man was rowingalong at a good rate of speed. 

"There he is!" was the cry. 

"Pull, boys, pull!" called out Snap. 

They did pull, and soon came closer to the craft ahead. Thenthe negro chanced to look back and saw them. He was evidentlychagrined, and with out delay turned in toward shore, close towhere the trees grew thick. 

"Stop!" cried Shep. "Stop, you rascal!"

But the negro paid no attention, excepting to renew his effortsto reach the river bank. He sent the rowboat in among the busheswith a loud swish, and hopped ashore. Then the other boat cameup. 

"Stop!" roared Simon Lundy. Give me back my watch!"

"Don't yo' dar to follow me!" yelled the negro, and showed a bighorse-pistol. "If yo' do, somebody is dun gwine to git shot. "

"Don't!" yelled the farmer, and fell flat in the rowboat. 

The boys were also alarmed, and for the moment knew not what todo. In that space of time the negro darted back of some treesand was lost to view. 

"Look out, boys, he'll shoot ye sure!" said Simon Lundy, in avoice full of fear. 

"He has gone, " announced Snap. 

"Are all of our things safe?" asked Shep, anxiously. 

"We'll soon find out, " put in Whopper, and leaped from one boatinto the other. All made a hasty examination and found everythingintact. Even their weapons had not been touched, for which theywere exceedingly thankful. 

"He wasn't expecting us, " explained Giant. "He thought he'd gettime later to go through our belongings. " And the others concludedthat Giant had spoken the truth. 

What to do next was a question. Simon Lundy said he did not wantto follow the negro, since the rascal was armed and evidently fullof fight. 

"I'll go after him if the others will, " said Shep, and the upshotof the matter was that the four boys went on a hunt, leaving thecowardly farmer to watch the two boats. The boys went deep intothe woods and even to the road beyond, but saw nothing of therascal that had disappeared. 

"He will be on his guard now and keep out of sight, " said Whopper. "I'll bet he don't show himself again in two years. "

"Make it ten years while you are at it, Whopper, " said Snap, drily. 

"Well, do you think he will show up?"

"No. But we may see him some day. "

When the four young hunters returned to the boats they found SimonLundy had hidden himself behind some bushes. He came out rathershamefacedly and asked if they had met the negro. 

"Yes; and he said he was coming to chew you up, " answered Whopper, with a wink at his chums. 

"H-he did!" quaked Simon Lundy. "Sa-say, hadn't we better bea-goin'?"

"We are not going to bother to look for him any more, " said Snap, who was disgusted with the cowardly and miserly farmer. "We aregoing on our way. "

"An' what be I a-goin' tew do?"

"Take Mr. Welby's boat back, " answered Snap, shortly. "You canrow, can't you?"

"A leetle, yes. "

"Then, good-by to you, " said Shep, and leaped into the rowboatcontaining the camp outfit. 

"Hi! Don't leave me here alone!" ejaculated Pop Lundy, in freshalarm. "Shove the boat out into the stream. "

This they did for him, and soon he was rowing away from the spotas best he could, fearful, evidently, that the negro would come, as Whopper had said, to "chew him up. "

"He's about the limit!" was Snap's comment, when Simon Lundy wasout of hearing. "How I would love to play ghost on him!"

"He'd have a fit and die, " added Shep. 

The negro had not disarranged the boat in the least, so they weresoon on their way, Shep and Giant taking the oars. Snap leanedback in the stern and stretched himself. 

"Tell you what, fellows, our outing is starting with lots of excitement. Wonder how it is going to end?"

"Perhaps it will end very tamely, " said Whopper, who was in thebow, munching an apple. "We'll strike several weeks of rain, and not get a shot at anything larger than a rabbit. Then we'llall take cold, and have to send for a doctor, and-----"

"Say, please heave him overboard, somebody!" burst out Giant. "He's just as cheerful as a funeral. We are going to have nothingbut sunshine, and I am going to shoot two bears, four deer, seventeenwildcats, eighteen-----"

"Hold on!" shouted Snap. "You have gotten into Whopper's story-bag, Giant, and it won't do. "

"Oh, I was fooling!" said Whopper. "We are going to have a peachof a time. We are going to strike an old lodge in the wood---somean old hermit once lived in---and find a big pot of gold under the-----"

"Bay window, near the well, just across the corner from thebarber shop, next to the school, " broke in Shep. "Say, cut outthe fairy tales and get to business. Does anybody know that itis exactly ten minutes to twelve?"

"Codfish and crullers! You don't say so!" came from Whopper. "I knewI was getting hollow somewhere. What shall we do---go ashore andcook dinner?"

"Might as well, " came from Snap. "Our time's our own, remember. We haven't got to hurry. "

"I know just the spot, about quarter of a mile from here, " saidShep. "Our family once went there for a picnic. There's a goodspring of water there and a hollow for a fire, and everything. "

"Pantry full of dishes and a tablecloth, I suppose, " broke inthe irrepressible Whopper. "I do love a picnic ground where youcan pick napkins off the bushes and toothpicks, too. "

The boys pushed the rowboat on its way and soon reached the spotthat Shep had mentioned, and there they tied up at a tree-rootsticking out of the river bank. Beyond was a cleared space anda semi-circle of stones with a pole in two notched posts for afire and kettle. They soon had a blaze started and Whopper filledthe kettle at the spring and hung it to boil. 

"This is just a taste of what is to come, " said Snap. "At thismeal we'll have our sandwiches, cake and some hot coffee. Itwill be different when we broil our deer meat, or something likethat, and make hot biscuits. "

"And roast our bear steaks, " put in Whopper. "Just wait tillyou see the bear I shoot!"

"He means the bear he runs away from, " said Shep, and this causeda laugh. 

As soon as the water was boiling they made coffee, and then allsat around to enjoy their first meal in the open. The adventuresof the morning had given them all good appetites, and they did notstop until the entire allowance had disappeared. 

"No more just now, " said Snap. "We must keep something for supperand for breakfast, you know. After that we have got to live onregular camp fare. "

They lolled around for the best part of an hour, then arose, cleanedup the camp, and started on their journey. 

"And now for Lake Cameron!" cried Shep. "May we reach there withoutfurther mishaps. "

CHAPTER VI

A FIRST NIGHT IN CAMP

Lake Cameron was a beautiful sheet of water, connected with theriver by a narrow but deep creek lined on either side with thickblackberry and elderberry bushes. Around the lake the scenerywas rather wild, and had it been closer to the railroad wouldhave been a great spot for sportsmen. Even as it was, many cameup there to hunt and to fish, and the boys were by no means certainthat they would have even a small portion of the locality to themselves. 

"I am going to see if I can't get a shot at something on the way, "said Snap, as they turned into the creek. "There used to be wildturkeys up here, so Jed Sanborn told me. "

"Is Sanborn out hunting?" asked the small youth of the crowd. 

"Not just now, Giant. But he said he was coming to see us sometime, " answered Snap. 

Snap had his shotgun ready for use, and so had one of the otheryoung hunters. The rowboat glided along silently. The sun wasjust preparing to go down beyond the hills to the westward. 

"Wait!" called Snap, in a low tone, and stood up. Those at theoars ceased rowing. The leader of the club took careful aim. Crack! went the piece. 

"Touch anything?" asked Whopper. 

"I did. Go ahead, and I'll pick it up. " They rowed on, and aminute later Snap reached out of the boat and hauled in a finewild turkey that was still fluttering faintly. A twist of theneck put it out of its misery, and the young hunter surveyed hisgame with satisfaction. 

"First prize goes to Snap!" cried Shep. "Boys, we are sure ofa turkey dinner to-morrow, anyway. "

They continued on their journey, and at length came in sight ofLake Cameron, surrounded by hills and the forest. A moment laterWhopper reached for his gun, took careful aim and fired. 

"Only a rabbit, " he announced. "But that is better than nothing. "

"I should say it was, " answered Giant, readily. "I'd like tobring down a game-bag full of them. Think of the rabbit pot-piewe could make!"

"Here goes for something, " whispered Shep, and fired at a squirrelrunning around on a fallen tree. But the little creature wastoo nimble for him and got away unharmed. 

"There is no use of my trying to get a shot at anything, " announcedGiant. "The noise has scared away the rest of the game. As soonas we land I am going to try my hand at fishing. "

"You can do that now, " replied Snap. "I'll take your oar. Thereare some flies in yonder little red box, and the white box hada few worms in it. "

"I'll try a worm and look for a perch or two, " answered the small lad. 

He soon had his line out and baited up and began to troll at theend of the boat. In a few minutes he got a bite and pulled upa fair-sized perch. A sunfish followed, then a sucker, and thentwo more perch. 

"What's the matter with that?" he asked, rather proudly. 

"Nothing at all, Giant, " answered Shep. "Shall I help?"

Giant agreed, and soon Shep had brought in another perch. Bythis time they had come to a suitable landing, and the rowboatwas turned in and hauled well up on the shelving shore. 

"I fancy this will make a good camping spot for to-night;" saidSnap. "In the morning we can decide upon what we want to do next. "

"All right, " said Shep. "Let us start up a camp-fire and makeourselves 'to hum, ' as the old folks used to say. "

Any quantity of dry sticks were to be had, and they had broughtwith them both an ax and a hatchet, so they soon had the sticksreduced to a proper size for burning. Near the shore were a numberof bushes, and they cut out a spot in the center of these andover the top spread the canvas they had brought with them. Fora flooring, they gathered some leaves, and over this spread arubber blanket when it came time to go to bed. 

It was very homelike and cheerful, gathering around the campfire, and all of the boys took a hand at preparing the supper whichconsisted of fried fish, baked potatoes, sandwiches, cake andcoffee. They took their time over the meal, and did not finishuntil after eight o'clock. Then they sat around for an hour discussingtheir plans and telling stories. 

"Now, the question comes up, do we stand guard at night?" asked Snap. 

"Oh, let us all go to bed, " answered Whopper. "I don't believeany cannibals are coming to carry us off---or an elephant, either. "

"What about a wildcat or a bear?" asked Shep. 

"Well, if you are afraid you can stay awake, " answered Whopper. 

There was a moment of silence and then, close at hand, a hoot-owllet out an unexpected and exceedingly weird call. Whopper gavea jump and so did Shep, and then all of the young hunters laughed. 

"I am willing to let the guard slide if the others are willing, too, " said Snap; and so it was decided. 

They fixed the fire so that it would not go out, and then oneafter another retired to the shelter among the bushes. The moonwas shining far above the trees and the center of the lake glistenedlike a mass of silver. Occasionally they heard the hoot of theowl, and the far-off bark of a fox, but otherwise all was silent. 

When the boys awoke, the sun was shining brightly. Shep was thefirst to rouse up and he slipped outside and looked around theclearing and on to the lake. Not a person or a creature was insight. He stirred up the fire and piled on some wood and thenbegan to wash up. 

"Hullo! you up already?" The call came from Snap, and soon allof the others sprang up and came from the bush shelter. 

"This is fine!" exclaimed Whopper. "My! but the lake looks grandenough to take a bath in. "

"Better try it, " returned Shep, drily. "But first I'd adviseyou to wash your face only. "

Whopper ran to the shore and took a dip. 

"Phew! Cold as Greenland's icy mountain!" he ejaculated. "Say, if a fellow took a bath in that he'd stiffen into a mummy. Noswim for me this morning!" And after a good wash he fixed up, and the others followed his example. 

All wanted some more perch, and they went fishing for their breakfastin true camping-out style. A mess was procured in less than halfan hour, and then they got one of the pans hot, while Snap madecoffee and brought out the last of the bread they had brought along. 

"Our next bread or biscuits we'll have to make ourselves, " observedthe youth. 

It was so nice to take it easy that the young hunters did notfinish their breakfast and clean up again until the middle ofthe forenoon. During that time they talked matters over oncemore and decided to row around Lake Cameron and then make up theirminds at what point to locate. 

Once more the outfit was packed on board of the rowboat and theymoved along the lake shore, slowly, taking in the advantages anddisadvantages of every spot as they went along. Some places seemedtoo high and rocky and some too low and marshy, some too barrenand others too overgrown with trees and brushwood. 

At last the circuit of the lake was finished and then by mutualconsent they turned back to a point where there was a sloping, sandy shore. The trees grew close to the water's edge north andsouth of this point, but there was a cleared spot, and back ofthis a series of rocks, where they discovered a spring of clear, cold water. 

"I think this is the best camping spot of the lot, " said Snap. "Anyway, it suits me. "

"Couldn't be better, and I am perfectly satisfied, " returned Shep. 

"Count me in on stopping here, " came from Giant. 

"Why, this is a perfect paradise, " remarked Whopper. "A fairylandof beauty and natural resources. I could live here a millionyears and never weary of gazing at the lake and-----"

"Looking for something to eat, " finished Shep. "No, I don't want amillion years of this. But I think a few weeks will do very nicely. "

"Well, if we are going to stay here, the question is, what sortof a shelter are we going to put up?"

"Oh, let us build a regular log cabin!" cried Giant. "It willbe such fun. "

"A log cabin isn't built in a day, " answered Snap. "To builda good cabin will take quite some time. But we might build somekind of a shack, " he added, as he saw the small lad's face fall. "There are four small trees almost in a square. We can cut themoff and they will do for the corner-posts, and another tree inline with two in front will do for a door-post. "

"Hurrah! Snap has solved the problem of a cabin!" shouted Whopper. "I declare, Snap, you want to take out a license as an architectand builder. We'll go to work to-morrow---as soon as we've gottentogether something to eat. " And in his joy, Whopper turned ahandspring on some dead leaves, coming down on his back with athump. "Wow! I'll not try that again in a hurry!" he grunted. 

"We can take turns at building, " said Shep. "Each day two canwork on the cabin and two can go hunting or fishing. At the startwe needn't to go after anything but small game. "

"That's it, " said Snap. "But if any big game comes our way we canbring it down. "

"Or make a try at it, " corrected Giant. 

CHAPTER VII

SOMETHING ABOUT A STRANGE ANIMAL

They brought the boat up on the sand and placed their things inthe shelter of some bushes and rocks, covering everything withthe canvas. It was growing late again and there was nothing todo but to try fishing once more and cook the wild turkey. Snapused a fly this time, and brought up a fine lake trout, of whichhe was justly proud. Up the shore Shep saw some rabbits, andwent after them with his shotgun, bringing down a pair that promisedgood eating. 

"How fast the time goes up here!" exclaimed Giant. "Why, it doesn'tseem two hours since we got up!"

"That proves that we are enjoying ourselves, " answered Snap. "Thetime won't go quite so fast after we get used to it. "

"Well, if we get tired of one spot we can move to another, " saidWhopper. 

It promised to be warm and clear that night, so they slept out underthe trees, not far from their camp-fire. All was very quiet, noteven a hoot-owl coming to disturb them. 

But about four o'clock Snap awoke with a start and sat bolt upright. Something had awakened him, but he could not tell what. He arousedShep. 

"What is it, Snap?"

"That is what I want to know, Shep. "

"What do you mean?"

"Something just woke me up. Did you notice anything?"

"I did not. "

The talking aroused the other boys and all stared around them. Nothingunusual was to be seen anywhere. 

"Snap must have been dreaming, " grunted Whopper. "I guess he ate toomuch supper last night. "

After a look around, the boys went to sleep again, and nobody got upuntil after seven o'clock. Then Giant began to stir around amongthe stores. 

"Well, I declare!" he shouted. "Come here, fellows!"

"What is it?" asked Snap, running forward, followed by the others. 

"Struck a gold mine?" queried Whopper. 

"We had a visitor last night. "

"A visitor?" cried the others, in a chorus. 

"Yes. That must have been the noise Snap heard. "

"I knew I heard something, " murmured Snap. "But what kind ofa visitor did we have?"

"A four-legged one, " answered Giant. "He rooted among our storesfor something to eat. "

"Some animal!" ejaculated Whopper. "It's a wonder he didn't tryto chew us all up. Is anything gone?"

"Is anything gone? Well, I rather guess?"

"All the fish for one thing!"

"And the rabbits and turkey!"

"And that crust of bread!"

"And about half of the sugar!"

The young hunters gazed about in consternation. Evidently thevisitor had rooted around their stores to his heart's content. 

"Do you know what I think it was?" came from Shep. 

"A fox?"

"Worse than that. "

"You don't mean a bear, do you?" queried Whopper, with a shiver, anda hasty glance over his shoulder. 

"Yes; and there he is!" shouted Snap, and ran for the trees. Helter-skelter the others came after him, Whopper pitching headlongin his flight. 

"Hi! hi! Save me!" roared the fallen one. "Don't---don't letthe bear chew me up!"

"Where is the bear?" demanded little Giant, catching up his gun. Then he looked at Snap, who was grinning broadly. "You're fooling!Boys, it was only a joke!"

"A joke?" spluttered Whopper. "Do---do you mean to say thereis no bear?"

"Not here. But there may have been one last night. "

"Snap Dodge, you ought to be---be hung, drawn and quartered, andtarred and feathered in the bargain, " said Whopper, severely. "it's an outrage to---to-----"

"Let it drop, Whopper. Seriously, though, some wild animal hasbeen here and eaten up part of our stores. The question is, couldit have been a bear?"

"Let us look around for tracks, " put in Giant, and got down onhis hands and knees. The others began the hunt also, and soonthey came upon some large tracks, leading deep into the woodsand up the rocks beyond. 

"It was certainly a bear, " said Snap, and now his voice had somethingof seriousness in it. "Boys, I must say I don't like this. "

"No more do I, " answered Shep. "Why, that bear might have killedus all while we slept!"

"It's queer he didn't visit us, " put in Giant. 

"I don't know but what he did, " said Snap. "Perhaps he woke meup and then ran away. I certainly heard something or felt something. "

"This is enough to give one the creeps, " was Whopper's comment. "Idon't want to sleep where there are bears to crawl over one. "

"Somebody will have to remain on guard after this until we getsome sort of a shelter built, " said Shep, and so it was agreed. 

"I am going to build a bear trap, too, " said Giant. "An old hunterfrom the West was telling me of the kind some Indians make. Youtake some logs and build a sort of raft of them and place it onthe ground where the bear is likely to come. You raise one cornerof the raft up and fix a couple of sticks under it, each fastenedto another stick with a strong cord. On the cord you fasten thebait, and then on the top of the raft you pile some heavy stones. When the bear comes he tries to get at the bait, but the onlyway he can get under the logs and stones is by dropping down onhis side. He works his way in, pulls on the bait, and down comethe logs and stones on top of him holding him fast and most likelykilling him. "

"That's an idea! We'll make such a trap sure!" cried Whopper. 

That day was a busy one for all hands. To do as much work aspossible on the shelter, only a few hours were spent in huntingand fishing. But their luck was good and long before noon theyhad a dozen fish to their credit and also half a dozes rabbits, a wild turkey, three squirrels and some small birds. 

"There, that will keep us going for a while, " declared Snap. "Now letus turn all our attention to the cabin, so we can get away from Mr. Bear, if necessary. "

It was no easy matter to chop down the five trees to a heightof about eight feet, but once this was done cabin building beganin earnest, and by nightfall they had a rude roof over the postsand had the back logged up to a height of four feet. The nextday they went at the task at sunrise, finishing the back and puttingin the two sides, one with a slit of a window, over which theynailed some slats, so that nothing of size might get through. 

"Now this begins to look like something, " declared Shep. "I amafraid the front with a door, though, is going to bother us. "

"We'll work it somehow, " answered Snap, confidently. 

In a few days the cabin was complete and it must be confessedthat the young hunters were quite proud of their work. They madea sort of mud plaster and with this filled up the chinks betweenthe logs, and the roof they thatched with bark, so as to keepout the rain. The floor they covered with pine boughs, pilingthe boughs high up at the back for a big couch upon which allmight rest at night. They also made a split-log bench and a rudetable, from which they might eat when the weather drove them indoors. But they were not equal to building a chimney, and so continuedto do their cooking outdoors. 

It was well that they hurried their cabin, for the day after itwas completed a heavy and cold rain set in, lasting forty-eighthours. Fortunately they had a fair supply of fish and game onhand, so nobody had to go forth while the elements raged. Theybuilt a camp-fire close to the doorway of the cabin---under asort of piazza top, and there took turns at cooking, and madethemselves as comfortable as possible. 

"This isn't so pleasant, " said Whopper, as he gazed out at therain. "I hope it doesn't last long. "

"Well, we have got to take the weather as it comes, " said Shep, philosophically. "We can't expect the sun to shine every day. "

"I'd like it to rain during the night and be clear in the daytime. "

"Want your weather made to order, " laughed Giant. 

Fortunately the boys had brought along several books and games. They had agreed that the books should be read only in bad weather, and the games played only when they could not go out, and nowthese pastimes came in very handy. They had checkers and dominos, and a new card game that was just then "all the rage. " When nightcame they turned in early and slept soundly, the fear of the bearno longer troubling them. 

CHAPTER VIII

AN UNWELCOME ARRIVAL

The second week passed and they spent a quiet Sunday in camp. They were fortunate in their hunting and brought in large quantitiesof small game. Shep brought down a silver-tailed fox, of whichhe was very proud, and Whopper laid low the biggest rabbit theyhad yet seen. One day Giant and Snap went out for partridge andbrought in three, all of fair size. They had also come acrossthe track of some deer, and hoped to get on the trail of big gamein the near future. 

But Tuesday morning brought a disagreeable surprise. They werejust getting ready for dinner, and Giant was out in the boat, fishing, when they heard a noise that was new to them. 

"What do you suppose that is?" asked Whopper. "Sounds like anautomobile approaching, " answered Shep. "But of course it can'tbe that. "

"It's a gasolene launch, " declared Snap. "There she is now!" and hepointed to an outlying spur of land, around which the craft was puffing. 

The launch was a craft fully forty feet long and correspondinglybroad of beam. She was piled high with an outfit for camping, andin the boat were six men, two of whom were evidently camp helpersand guides. 

"I believe those men are coming here!" declared Shep, as the launchturned in toward them. 

The boys watched the approach of the gasolene launch with interest. It did not take long for the craft to reach a position directlyin front of the camp, and there the power was turned off and oneof the men prepared to leap ashore. 

"Hullo!" ejaculated a man in the stern of the launch, gazing ashoreat the cabin. "What in thunder does this mean?"

No one answered him, and a moment later the bow of the launchscraped the sand and one after another the men leaped out. Theboat was tied up and the men approached the young hunters. 

"I say, what does this mean?" demanded the man who had spokenbefore. He was a burly individual, with a heavy black moustacheand closecut beard. The look out of his eye was far from a pleasantone. 

"What does what mean?" returned Snap, as coolly as he could, yethe felt that something "was in the wind. "

"This!" cried the man, pointing to the cabin. "Who built that?"

"We did, " put in Shep. 

"Did you?" sneered the man. "And who gave you permission to do it?"

"Nobody, " said Whopper. "We took permission. What have you gotto say about it?" he added, not liking the man's tone. 

"What have I got to say about it?" ejaculated the bearded man. "I've got a good deal to say about it, seems to me. Don't youknow this is my private property?"

"No; we didn't know that, " put in Snap, quickly. "Are you Mr. Chester?"

"No; I am Mr. Andrew Felps. "

"Oh!" exclaimed Snap, but the word meant a good deal. He rememberedthat the man named was the head of the lumber company with whichthe Barnaby Lumber Company had had its dispute over the Spur Roadtract. Snap's father had had several interviews with Mr. AndrewFelps, and the feeling engendered was decidedly bitter. 

"You boys have no right on this property, " went on Andrew Felps. 

"I thought Mr. Chester owned this tract of land. "

"He did, but he has sold out to the Felps Lumber Company, of whichI am the head. Who ar you?"

"My name is Charley Dodge. "

"Humph!! Come from Fairview?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Is it your father who has the interest in the lumber company there?"

"Yes, sir. "

At this discovery Andrew Felps' face grew positively resentful. 

"I suppose he sent you up here, eh?" he snarled. 

"No. We got permission to go camping out and picked this placeas suiting us. "

"Well, you knew what was good, " put in another of the men. 

"Did you see us looking around here a couple of weeks ago?" wenton Andrew Felps. 

"We did not. "

"Who are these---other kids with you?"

"Thank you, but I am not a kid, " put in Shep. "My name is SheppardReed, and I am the son of Dr. Reed of Fairview. This is FrankDawson, and the boy out in the boat is Will Caslette. We allbelong at Fairview. As Snap---I mean Charley---says, we cameto camp out. We have always understood that this was a free camping-outplace. Folks have come to this lake for years. "

"Well, they are not coming here any more!" cried Andrew Felps. 

"After this those who come will pay for the privilege. "

"The place isn't fenced in, " said Whopper. 

"No; but it will be, shortly. I am going to have a wire fenceput up. "

Seeing there was a dispute going on, Giant came ashore. 

"What's the trouble?" he sang out. "Bad news from home?"

"No---bad news right here, " murmured Shep, coming towards him. 

"What do you mean?"

"Wait and see. "

"I came down here to camp out myself, " went on Andrew Felps. "I andmy friends picked this very spot over two weeks ago. I am going tohave a first-class cabin built here shortly. You boys had no rightto cut down the trees. "

"Can't we stay here?" blurted out Giant. 

"Stay here? Not much! You'll get out just as fast as you canpack up!"

At this announcement the hearts of the boys fell instantly. Allthought of the labor they had put on the cabin and the surroundings. 

"This is too bad!" cried Whopper. "See here, Mr. Felps, can't westay if we pay you?"

"No, sir!" was the first answer. Andrew Felps looked at Snap, coldly. "You can go home and tell your father I sent you. "

The remark made Snap exceedingly angry and for the moment he losthis temper. 

"You are more than mean!" he cried. "We have worked hard to fitup this spot, as you can see. But your meanness is nothing butwhat I should expect from one who would act as you did about thatSpur Road tract of lumber. "

"Shut up, you imp!" snarled Andrew Felps, growing red in the face. I have my rights, as you'll soon learn. Pack up your duds and getout at once!"

"Well, you are a gentleman!" cried Shep, also growing angry. "ButI've heard about you before---down to Fairview. Well, we'll go. "

"Yes, and mighty quick, too!" roared Andrew Felps, and rushingforward he kicked at the campfire with his foot and sent one ofthe frying-pans whirling into the bushes. 

"I wouldn't be so hard on the youngsters, Andy, " said one of themen, in a low tone. 

"Oh, I know them, Sam, " was Andrew Felps's answer. "That Dodge'sfather has been trying to get the best of me for years. Do yousuppose I am going to give his cub any leeway? Not much!"

Some bitter words followed between the boys and the unreasonabletimber dealer, and then the young hunters began to pack up andput their belongings in the rowboat. 

"Oh, but wouldn't I like to get square with him!" muttered Whopper, as the work went on. 

"Maybe we'll get a chance to square up some day, " answered Shep. "I think he is more than mean. "

"Here, leave that cabin alone!" came from Andrew Felps, as Snapbegan to knock down the front end with the ax. 

"I may as well take it down, as you don't want it, " said the boy. 

"You leave it alone, I say. "

"Maybe you want to use it?" sneered the youth. 

"If so, who is going to stop me? It was built out of my timber, don't forget that, smarty. "

"Perhaps you want to steal our outfit, " cried Giant, who was boilingwith suppressed rage. 

"Say another word, kid, and I'll throw you into the lake!" roaredAndrew Felps. 

He came at Giant so threateningly that the small boy had to retreat. At last the things were stowed on the rowboat and the four younghunters boarded the craft. 

"Don't you dare to come back here!" cried Andrew Felps. 

"Thank you, I like to pick my company!" returned Whopper. 

"What do you mean by that?"

"I like to associate with a gentleman. "

"Say that again and I'll make it warm for you!" roared the timberdealer, and would have grabbed up a gun from his launch had notone of his companions prevented the move. 

"Here, you might as well keep this while you are at it!" criedShep, and hurled a dead rabbit ashore. The game was unusually"ripe" and caught Andrew Felps directly across the face. Theman staggered back, stumbled over a log and sat down directlyin the midst of the scattered campfire!

CHAPTER IX

A NIGHT OF DISCOMFORT

"Hi! Help! I am burning up!"

"Gracious, boys, look at that!" burst from Snap's lips. "He gotmore than he expected. "

"Well, I didn't intend to upset him into the fire, " burst outShep. "I hope he doesn't get burnt. "

By this time Andrew Felps had rolled out of the blaze. His coatwas on fire and so was one leg of his trousers. 

"Dive into the lake, Andy!" called out one of the men, and hurriedthe unfortunate individual toward the water. There seemed nohelp for it, and the timber dealer rushed into the icy water, givinga shiver as he did so; and then the danger was over. 

"Come, we had better get out of here!" cried Whopper, in a lowvoice. "He'll be as mad as a thousand hornets now, and readyto chew us up into mincemeat!"

All of the boys were at the oars and without delay, they began topull a strong stroke. 

"Come back here, you young rascals!" cried one of the men of theparty. "Come back, I say!"

"We are not going back, " declared Snap. 

"Not much, " put in Shep. "I'd rather jump overboard. "

"It served Felps right for being so mean, " said Giant. "Just lookat all our work gone to waste. It's enough to make one cry. "

"And such a fine spot as it was, too, " said Shep. "I doubt ifwe find another to equal it. "

"It won't do any good if we do---on this lake, " said Snap. "AndrewFelps will not let us stay here if he has purchased the property---ashe says he has. I am afraid it is all due to me that we have got tomove on, " he added. "That man hates my father worse than poison. "

"It is his natural meanness, that's what it is, " said Whopper. "He is mean enough to get drowned, so as to save the expense of acemetery lot. "

While talking, the boys continued to row steadily, and soon apoint of land took them out of sight of Andrew Felps and his party. Then they rested on their oars and held a consultation. 

"This is certainly something we didn't bargain for, " was Snap'scomment. "It knocks all of our plans endways, as the saying goes. "

"I hope you're not thinking of going home?" said Giant, quickly. 

"Home!" cried Shep. "Don't you dare to mention such a thing. No, Iam not going home, boys. But one thing is certain, we can't stay atLake Cameron. "

"Let us try our luck at Firefly Lake, " suggested Whopper. "Thatisn't as large as this lake, but it is certainly a nice sheetof water. And the hunting around there ought to be just as goodas around here. "

The others said they were willing, and a little later they madetheir way out of Lake Cameron and sent the rowboat along the rockywatercourse in the direction of Firefly Lake. It was now pastnoon, yet nobody was in the humor for eating. 

"The more I think of Andrew Felps the madder I get, " said Shep. "I don't see how a man can be so mean. It wouldn't have hurthim a bit to have let us stay there. "

"I hope he has no luck at hunting, " grumbled Giant. "He deservesto go home skunked. "

"He will get some game---or his guides will get it for him, " saidSnap. "I wonder if it is possible that he has bought up FireflyLake, too. "

"My gracious, that's so!" ejaculated Whopper. "No use of goingthere if he has. He'll root us out sooner or later. "

"Firefly Lake belongs to half a dozen people, " said Giant. "Why, come to think of it, one of my uncles had an interest up there. "

"Then I reckon we'll be safe. "

It was no easy matter to guide the rowboat through the narrowand swiftly flowing river they were now on, and the young huntershad to give all their attention to the task. Once or twice theystruck the rocks rather sharp blows, but no damage was done, forwhich they were thankful. 

"One thing is certain, " said Snap, when a wider part of the watercoursewas gained. "That gasolene launch can never follow us to thislake. It's too large. "

"Yes, and the tramp from one lake to the other is not easy, " addedShep. "Old Jed Sanborn told me that. "

"Won't Jed be angry when he learns that Felps has bought up LakeCameron, " put in Giant. "That was one of his favorite huntingand fishing places. "

They had to go so slow through some portions of the stream thatit was nightfall by the time Firefly Lake was reached. It wasclouding up, and when the sun went down not a star showed itself. 

"This looks as if we were going to have rain before morning, " wasShep's comment. "Just our luck---to be caught in the open. "

"Don't croak, " said Snap. "No matter what comes, let us makethe best of it. "

It was almost impossible in the fast gathering darkness to distinguishone part of the shore from another, and they did not know whereto land. Seeing a small cove, they made for it, and pulled therowboat up among some bushes. Then they gathered some firewood, started a blaze, and set about getting a meal which should be adinner and supper combined. 

"Well, I am hungry now and no mistake, " said Whopper. "I thinkI could eat snakes' eggs on toast or pickled eels' feet. "

The camp-fire made things look more cheerful, and a hearty meal didmuch toward restoring good humor. Yet the boys felt sore over theway Andrew Felps had treated them, and for this they could not beblamed. 

"To-morrow we'll have to locate all over again, " said Snap. "Andif we want to be comfortable, we'll have to put up another cabin. But we needn't to make it quite so complete as that other one was. "

"Let us look around and see if we can't find some sort of a naturalshelter, " suggested Shep---"some cave, or overhanging rocks, orsomething like that. "

"Where the rocks can come down and bury us alive, " said Whopper. "Wouldn't that be charming!"

"Whopper, you're as soothing as a funeral!" cried Giant. "Weought to make you build the next cabin all alone. "

"Well, I could do that if I had time enough, " was the dry reply. 

Among the trees the boys found a pretty fair shelter, and heremade themselves as comfortable as possible. They covered thestores in the boat with the canvas, piled the wood on the camp-fire, and then lay down to rest, leaving Giant to stand guard for thefirst two hours of the night. 

When Giant called Snap to relieve him it was already raining andthe wind was rising. The fire had died down and they did notdare to stir it up for fear the wind would carry the sparks intothe forest and cause a general conflagration. 

"I guess we are in for it, " declared Snap, as he peered aroundin the darkness. "Just listen to the wind rising!"

Giant retired, leaving the leader of the tour on guard. Snapwalked around for a bit, but then had to seek the shelter of thetrees as the rain came down heavily. 

"Hullo! what's this?" came from Whopper, as he sprang up. "Say, I thought somebody was throwing a pail of water over me!" Therain had come through the tree branches directly down upon hisupturned face. 

In a few minutes more all of the boys arose, as the wind was nowsending the rain in all directions. The tree limbs bent low andthreatened to break at every instant. 

"Phew!" cried Whopper. "There goes my cap!" And he made a dashafter the whirling headgear, catching it just as it was sailingfor the lake. 

A moment later came a gust of wind that almost lifted them fromtheir feet. The trees of the forest were bent lower than ever, and amid the whistling of the tornado came a crack like that ofa big pistol. 

"Look out for the tree-top!" yelled Shep, and pulled Snap to oneside. All jumped into the open and were just in time to escapeabout ten feet of the top of the tree, which sailed through theair and bit the lake surface with a loud splash. Then down camehalf a dozen small branches, several with birds' nests on them. 

"This is positively the worst storm yet, " was Snap's comment, after a perilous half hour had passed. "I am wet to the skin. "

"Don't say a word, " groaned Whopper. "I've got about a barrelof water in my shoes and another barrel down my neck!"

"I am going to see if the stores are safe, " came from Shep, andhe hurried for the boat, followed by Snap. They found that thecanvas had torn from its fastenings and was flapping wildly inthe wind. The rain had soaked almost everything. 

"This is certainly serious, " said Snap, as he did his best, assistedby the others, to pull the canvas into place once more and fastenit tight. "We don't want our stores ruined. "

"We can thank Mr. Andrew Felps for this experience, " grumbledShep. "I suppose he is snug in our cabin and laughing at us. "

"He must certainly be in the cabin, " said Giant, who had followedthe others to the boat. 

They could do nothing to make themselves comfortable, and so hadto simply grin and bear it, which they did with the best gracepossible. They were afraid to remain under the trees for fearof getting struck by some falling branch. 

"Wonder how long this is going to last?" came from Whopper, an hourlater. "Looks to me as if it was going to keep up a long time. "

"There is no telling, " answered Snap. "I think---hark!"

All listened and heard a strange humming. Then the wind began totear through the forest with fearful violence. 

"It is surely a tornado!" yelled Shep. "Get down, all of you, or you'll be blown to nowhere!"

CHAPTER X

GIANT AND THE MASKALONGE

The wind was making such a noise that little more could be said, and as the tornado increased all of the boys threw themselveson the ground, between a number of low bushes close to the lakeshore. The rain was coming down in veritable sheets and the waterwas running into the lake in hundreds of rivulets. 

"There goes something!" screamed Giant, as he caught sight ofan object whirling over their heads. "Looked like a sail. "

"It was the boat canvas, " answered Whopper. "Maybe the boat willgo next. Say, I'd just as lief be at home in my own little bed, eh?"

"Don't mention it, " replied Giant, with a sigh. 

For fully an hour the wind tore around them in a manner that alarmedthe young hunters in the extreme. They could do nothing to saveeither themselves or their stores, and wondered what the morningwould bring forth. More than one imagined that that was the lastof the outing and they would have to return home. 

But by daybreak the storm let up and the wind gradually died downto nothing but a gentle breeze. At eight o'clock the sun brokefrom under the scattering clouds and then all heaved a long sighof relief. 

"I never want to put in such a night again, " said Shep. "I wasafraid every minute was going to be my last. "

"This storm undoubtedly did a great deal of damage, " said Snap. "I shouldn't wonder if---oh, look at the top of yonder tree. What is that?"

"It's the patch of canvas we had over the stores!" cried Giant. "The wind took it to the top of the tree. Somebody will havea climb to get it again!"

"I'll go after it later on, " said Snap. "The first thing to dois to build a big fire and get dry, otherwise we'll all catchour deaths of cold. "

It was no easy matter to find wood dry enough to burn, but once ablaze was started they found branches enough to pile on. They shedthe majority of their garments, and soon the warmth dried each piece, much to their satisfaction and comfort. 

Whopper had not been idle, and he soon had a pot of hot coffee, towhich they added some condensed milk and water-soaked sugar. Theyalso got some fish from the lake, and the entire morning was devotedto "drying out" and getting a substantial meal. 

"One comfort, " remarked Shep, "we'll not want for firewood whilewe are here. "

"I shouldn't be surprised if we can pick up quite some dead birds andsmall animals, " said Snap. "You generally can after such a stormas this. "

After a good meal they felt somewhat better and took a survey of thesituation. Then they brought out their stores and set them to dry onsome stones in front of the camp-fire. A few articles had beenrendered valueless and these they threw away. Late in the afternoonShep and Giant went fishing, while Snap and Whopper walked for ashort distance into the woods. 

"We can't go very far, " said Snap. "It is too wet in the shade. "

"I see one bird already, " said his companion, and picked up a finewoodpecker. A thrush and two other birds they could not placefollowed, and then they ran across a fallen tree under which laytwo squirrels. 

"This is hunting of a new kind, " said Whopper. "Poor chaps!"he went on, looking at the squirrels. "I suppose that storm rippedyour home completely to pieces!"

"Wait! I see a good shot!" cried Snap, a few minutes later, andraising his gun took careful aim. The report of the fowling-piecewas followed by a wild fluttering and then two partridges droppeddown, each seriously wounded. The boys dashed forward, caughtthe game and quickly put them out of their misery. 

"There, we have done enough for to-day, " said Snap, but Whopperblazed away, nevertheless, and brought down a rabbit that chanced tobe limping across a clearing, having had a paw broken by the storm. 

With their game in their bags, the boys started back for the lakefront. They were almost to the camping spot when a wild cry ofalarm rent the air. 

"Help!" came in Giant's voice. 

"Let go! Let go!" came from Shep, an instant later. 

"I can't! I can't!" answered the smallest of the young hunters. 

"Something is wrong!" cried Snap, and dashed for the shore, followedby his companion. When they came to the clearing they found Shepstanding up in the rowboat, gesticulating wildly. Giant was inthe water and moving at a fairly rapid pace toward the centreof Firefly Lake!

"What does this mean?" questioned Snap. 

"He got some kind of a bite and the fish hauled him overboard, "answered Shep. 

"Why don't you let the fish go?" screamed Whopper. 

"I---I can't, " gasped Giant. "The line is twisted around my wrist!"

"Row for him, Shep!" called Snap. 

He had scarcely spoken when the fish took another tack, dragging poorGiant toward the shore, some distance above the camp. Snap andWhopper hurried in the direction, and as the little youth managed toget a footing near the beach they ran in up to their ankles anddragged him to safety. Then all three began to haul in on thefishing line. 

"I see what it is!" cried Snap. "A maskalonge---and a whopper, too!"

Snap was right, and it was no mean task to bring the fish to theshore, and even then it flopped around in a manner that scaredthem a little. The maskalonge was dark gray in color with smallblack spots, and measured all of four feet and a half from headto tail. 

"My, but he is a whopper!" cried Shep, as he ran the boat ashoreand surveyed the haul. "No wonder he yanked Giant overboard. "

"Giant, you can be proud of such a haul, " said Snap. "I guesshe's the king-pin of all the pike in this lake. "

"Well, I am proud, " answered Giant, with a grin. "Just the same, I don't relish being pulled overboard for any fish in the lake. He must weigh something, eh?"

"Fifteen to twenty pounds, I guess, " said Snap. "It's too bad wehaven't a scales along. "

"Weigh him in his own scales, " said Whopper, by way of some fun. 

"I wish I could send this fish home to my mother, " said the smallyouth. "Wouldn't it make her eyes stick out, though!"

"It certainly would, and some other folks would wonder, too, "answered Shep. "But I don't see how you can do it. "

Besides the maskalonge, the boys had caught several pike of fairsize, so they were assured of enough to eat for several days. 

"The best thing we can do to-morrow is to find a suitable campingspot and build a shelter, " said Snap. "We don't want to be caughtout in the open again. "

The canvas at the tree-top was secured, and that night they sleptbetween some bushes with this over them to keep off the nightair. Each of the young hunters took his turn at watching, butnothing came to disturb them, although Whopper declared that heheard several foxes not far off. 

"I thought they were going to pay us a visit, but when they wereabout two hundred feet away they took a turn and that was the lastI heard of them. "

On the following morning the young hunters were in the act ofembarking in their rowboat, for a tour around the shore of FireflyLake, when Shep pointed out a small canoe coming swiftly towardthem. In the craft sat a man of middle age, with thick hair anda heavy beard. 

"Who can it be?" questioned Whopper. 

"Perhaps it is one of the Felps crowd---to warn us away, " spoke upGiant. "If it is, I'm rather for giving him a piece of our mind. "

"It is Jed Sanborn!" cried Shep. "He must be out to do a littlehunting or fishing on his own account. "

Jed Sanborn was a character well known to the people of the districtsurrounding the lakes. He was a hunter and trapper and had been allhis life. He was a bachelor, with no known relatives, and lived ina little cabin on the mountainside, two miles from Lake Cameron. The boys had met him a number of times and knew him to be a good shotand a good-humored individual. 

"Hullo, Jed, where are you bound?" sang out Snap, as the hunterdrew closer in his canoe. 

"Thought I'd find you up here, boys, " was the answer. "Have agood time last night?"

"No; we had a beastly time, " answered Shep. 

"Rained hard, didn't it? Where are you bound now?"

"We were going to look around the lake, that's all. We want tofind a good camping-out spot. "

"Folks down at Fairview said you were going to Lake Cameron. "

"So we were, but Mr. Andrew Felps came along and drove us away. "

"And after we had built a cabin, too, " put in Giant. 

"Huh! that's just like him, " responded Jed Sanborn, as he bumpedalongside of the rowboat with his canoe "He told me I couldn't huntor fish around that lake either. "

CHAPTER XI

IN A NEW CAMP

"When did you come from Lake Cameron?" asked Snap, after a pause. 

"Came from there right now. "

"Then you saw the Felps crowd at the cabin we built?" queried Whopper. 

"So you built that shelter?"

"We did. "

"And he drove you off? It was dog mean, that's all I've got to say. "

"Did he tell you he had bought that land?" went on Snap. 

"Yes. Oh, he's as mean as they make 'em, that feller, " added JedSanborn. "Hullo! Where under the canopy did you git that bigmaskalonge?" he cried, catching sight of the fish. 

"Giant caught it, " answered Whopper. "But he was pulled overboarddoing it. "

"And they had to help me land him, " added the small youth, but ratherproudly. 

"Well, well! this beats the Dutch! Why, I never caught such a fishbut once in my whole life in these parts although I've hooked 'em onthe St. Lawrence. It's something to be proud of, lad. You're asgood a fisherman as is to be found anywhere. "

"When did you leave Fairview?" asked Shep. 

"The day after you did. I expected to meet you before, but I had togo over to Sand Rock on business and I was delayed. I went up toLake Cameron, and I almost had a fight with Andrew Felps. He wantedto take away a mink I had caught in a trap. But I wouldn't give itup. " And Jed Sanborn pointed to where the mink lay, in the bottom ofhis canoe. 

"Do you know much about this lake, jed?" asked Snap. 

"I think I do---I've spent plenty of time up here, one year an'another. "

"Where can we find the best camping place?"

The hunter scratched his head in thought. 

"Well. I know of two pretty good spots. Maybe you had bettersee 'em both an' then take your pick. "

"All right, we'll do that, " came from Shep. "Will you show usthe spots now?"

"Certainly. I haven't got much else to do, " answered Jed Sanborn. 

He did not tell the lads that he had been asked to keep an eye onthem, fearing the information would not be to their liking. He wasnot to interfere with any of their movements unless he that theywere running into positive danger. 

In a few minutes more the rowboat and the canoe were on the wayup the western shore of Firefly Lake. It promised to be a perfectday, with just sufficient coolness to make it exhilarating. Inthe trees that lined the lake shore the birds warbled merrily, evidently glad that winter was not yet upon them. 

"I reckon it's going to be a good sporting season, " said Jed Sanborn, as they pulled along the lake shore. "If so, you boys will be rightin it, as the saying goes. "

"Well, we are out for all we can get, " answered Snap. 

It was not long before they came to a spot that looked ratherinviting, but there was one drawback---they would have to go quitea distance for spring water. 

"Now I'll show you another spot which may prove better, " said thehunter. 

They turned one end of Firefly Lake and came up on the other shore. Suddenly Whopper gave a cry:

"That looks good!"

"So it does, " answered Shep. "Jed, is that the spot you had in mind?"

"It is, my lad. "

"Is there a spring handy?"

"Yes; right behind the big rock to the left---the purest water inthese parts, so I always thought. "

They lost no time in going ashore, running the rowboat up into a tinycove, where an overhanging rock acted as a dock. There was a small, cleared space between the tall trees, and to one side grew a clump oftrees in something of a semi-circle. Snap ran forward to investigate. 

"Why, Jed, what does this mean!"

"Here is a shack already!"

"Some other hunters must have been here!"

"I was here last season, with two gentlemen from New York, " explainedthe hunter. "I built that shack fer 'em. You can use it untilyou put up something better---that is, if you decide to stay here. "

"Let us stay by all means!" cried Shep, gazing around. "It's abeautiful spot. "

"Better than the one we had to give up at Lake Cameron, " came fromGiant. "How about hunting, Jed?"

"Jest as good around here as t'udder lake, my boy. "

A vote was taken, and all of the boys decided that they would remainat the spot. This being settled upon, they brought their storesashore and placed them in the shack, so that no further rain couldget at them. 

"We have lost enough through the rain and that bear, " said Snap, and then had to tell Jed Sanborn all about the mysterious midnightvisitor. 

"Oh, but I wish I had been on hand---to git a crack at that bear!"cried the hunter. "I ain't had a crack at a bear fer some time. They are gittin' scarce around here. "

It was time to eat again, and they made a splendid dinner of somebaked maskalonge, Jed Sanborn showing them how to turn out the fishin a manner that was appetizing to the last degree. Shep also madesome biscuits, which, if they were not first-class, were far fromwhat boys usually call "sinkers. "

"I hope nobody comes to disturb us here, " said Snap. "I think if weare left alone we'll have the time of our lives. "

While they ate they discussed the question of putting up anothercabin. Giant was very eager to go ahead and so was Whopper---bothloving the work fully as much as they loved hunting and fishing. 

"All right, we'll build a cabin, " said Snap. "But first we mustget together something to eat, as we did before. "

That afternoon all went out hunting with Jed Sanborn and he showedthem where to find a good supply of rabbits, and took them toa hollow among the hills where the partridges were thick. Allfired at once, and as a consequence they got eight of the game. Their rabbits numbered sixteen, and they also brought down threesquirrels. Coming back to the camp, Jed Sanborn took a long shotat some wild ducks that were flying overhead and brought downtwo, which he added to their stock. 

"Now, do a little fishing, and you'll have enough to eat fer aweek, " he said. 

"Before you go away I want you to show us how to set some traps, Jed, " said Snap. 

"I'll do that, " was the answer, and the very next day the old huntermade for them a trap to catch birds, another for mink and also abeaver trap. 

"When I come ag'in I'll bring you something to put in the beavertrap, " said the hunter. "It's a stuff we call barkstone. Thebeavers can't resist it nohow. As soon as they smell it theyhave to walk right into the trap after it. " He referred to castoreum, a liquid obtained from the beaver, or castor, itself and havinga powerful odor which acts on the animal just as catnip acts ona cat. 

The weather had now turned off colder and they were glad to huddleclose to the camp-fire at night. Before going to bed the huntertold the boys a bear story that all pronounced a "rattler. "

The building of the new cabin began in earnest the next day, andJed Sanborn told them how it might be put together to the bestadvantage, and even aided in cutting down some of the necessarylogs. 

"I've got to go back to town to-morrow, " he said. "But I'll comeback here before very long. I'll bring you anything you want. "

"In that case I'll make out a list, " answered Snap, and did so, withthe aid of the others. Jed Sanborn left the next day at noon; andit was some time before they saw him again. 

"And now to get at this cabin in earnest, " said Shep, after thedeparture of the hunter. 

Jed Sanborn had shown them how they might pile up some rocks fora rude chimney, banking up the lower part outside with dirt, andthis they finished first. Then the top was put on the new structureand the sides, one end having a small door and the other an evensmaller window. The flooring was of hard dirt, with cedar boughsin two corners for couches. In the shack they found a rude benchand a table, and these they transferred to the cabin. When theytried their new fireplace they found it worked well, the smokegoing up the rude chimney without difficulty. 

"Now, this is something like!" declared Giant, as he surveyedthe work. "Even in a storm we can be quite comfortable here. "

"Providing the roof doesn't leak, " declared Shep. "When it rainswe must watch for leaks and try to stop them up---with bark orwith the canvas. "

CHAPTER XII

SHEP AND THE HOLLOW TREE

For several days after the cabin was finished, the boys restedfrom their labors and took it easy. An unusually warm spell followedthe short cold snap and one day, at noon, all took a dip in thelake. But the water was so cold they remained in only a few minutesand all were glad enough to hurry back into their clothing. 

"A cold bath like that goes a good ways, " declared Shep. "If afellow stayed in too long he'd freeze to death. "

"Why, my back is full of icicles now!" declared Whopper. "Feelsas if I had gotten locked in a refrigerator by mistake. "

"Like the tramp they caught at Westport last summer, " came fromGiant, with a laugh. "He stole a ride on the cars and got into arefrigerator car by mistake. The car was packed with ice and wasn'topened for forty-eight hours after it started. The poor tramp wasabout half dead when they got him out. "

Early on the following Friday morning, Shep and Snap went outon a hunt, leaving Whopper and Giant to look after the camp andfish, if they felt like putting out any lines. It was a bright, breezy day and all of the boys were in the best of humor. 

"We may not be back until late, " said Snap, as he and Shep movedaway. "So don't worry if you don't see us. "

"All right---we'll save you some supper, " answered Whopper. 

Snap and Shep had decided to try their luck in the woods to thenorth of Firefly Lake, taking to an old deer trail that Jed Sanbornhad pointed out to them. They were after any game that might appear, but did not look for anything big, for the older hunter had informedthem that it would be next to impossible to spot any deer until thesnow was on the ground. 

Each youth carried his shotgun and his gamebag, containing hisdinner, and also a good supply of ammunition. 

The boys walked a good half mile before they saw any indicationsof game. Then Snap called a halt and pointed to a little clearing. Looking through some brushwood, Shep made out half a dozen wildturkeys, feeding peacefully. 

"We ought to get at least two of them, " whispered Snap. "All ready?"

"Yes. "

"Then fire when I tell you. "

They came a little closer, and both boys took careful aim. Atthe word the two shotguns rang out, and to the delight of thetwo young hunters down came three of the wild turkeys. The restflew away among the trees and were lost to sight immediately. 

"That's a haul!" cried Shep, and ran forward. 

"Look out!" screamed Snap, an instant later. "One of 'em is comingfor you!"

His warning proved true, and before Snap could retreat the woundedwild turkey had flown directly into his face and was cracking theboy with its strong wings. 

"Get away! Oh, dear!" sang out poor Shep, and tried to beat thewounded creature off, but the wild turkey was full of fight andrenewed the attack with vigor. 

"I'll fix him! Down with your hands!" ejaculated Snap, and, rushingin, he hit the turkey with the stock of his gun. The creaturefell to the ground and before it could arise Snap had his footon it; and then the little battle came to an end, and soon allthree of the wild turkeys were dead. 

"Well, that's the first I knew a wild turkey would attack a fellow, "declared Snap, as he nursed a scratch on his left cheek. "Phew, but he gave me some regular prize-fighter blows!"

"Wild creatures of all kinds will fight if cornered, " answeredhis chum. "Be thankful that he didn't try to pick out your eyes. "

"Yes, that is what I was looking out for, " answered Shep. 

Having secured the game, they moved onward once more, up a smallhill and then through the hollow beyond. But though they kepton until noon nothing further worth shooting at presented itself. 

Sitting down in the sun, the boys ate their lunch and took a drinkfrom a tiny brook flowing into the lake. Then they tramped onwardonce more for another mile. 

"Humph! This sort of hunting doesn't amount to anything, " grumbledSnap. "If we hadn't run across those turkeys we should have beenskunked. "

"Let us go a little further, " answered Shep. "Here are two trails. Supposing I take the one over the hill and you the one nearest tothe lake. If we don't see anything we can come back here. "

So it was agreed, and a minute later they separated. Shep took torather a rough path and more than once felt that he would have toturn back and give up. 

"But I am not going back till I hit something, " he told himself, and just then a distant shot reached his ears. "Snap must havespotted something. I must do as well. "

A hundred feet further on he came to an old and wide-spreadingtree. On the branches he discovered two squirrels of good size. Without delay he blazed away, and when the smoke drifted awaysaw that both of the creatures were stone dead. They had notdropped to the ground, but were caught in two crotches of the tree, at a spot well over his head. 

"I'll have to climb up to get them, " he murmured, and threw down hisgun and his game bag. A limb was handy and he swung himself up intothe tree and worked his way toward the trunk, where the squirrels lay. 

The tree was old and partly split in half and the center of thetrunk was hollow. Just as he reached out to take hold of one ofthe squirrels, his foot slipped and he began to slide down into thehollow. He clutched at the smooth wood, but could not stay hisprogress, and like a flash he disappeared from the sunlight intoalmost utter darkness!

Unfortunately for the young hunter, the tree was hollow to itsvery roots, and he went to the bottom, reaching it with a joltthat made his teeth crack together. His hands were above himand he was wedged in so tightly that he could not bring them down. 

"Well, of all things!" he murmured, when he could catch his breath. "I am a prisoner now and no mistake!"

He looked up, but a slight twist of the tree cut off the sunlightfrom overhead, although he could see dimly after his eyes becamesomewhat accustomed to the semi-gloom. 

Shep waited to get back his breath, and then started to feel aroundfor something by which he might raise himself. Not a projectionof any sort was at hand. 

"How in the world am I to get out of this?" was the question whichhe asked himself. 

He could not answer the riddle, and the cold perspiration stoodout on his forehead. Was it possible that he must remain a prisonerin the tree forever?

"I've got to get out somehow!" he told himself, desperately. "I mustget out!"

Again he felt around, and tried to raise himself by means of his feet. He went up several inches, but that was all, and a moment laterslipped down again. 

It must be confessed that Shep was now thoroughly alarmed, andhe trembled a little as he thought of the possible outcome ofthis unlookedfor adventure. Perhaps he would have to remain thereuntil he died of hunger and thirst. Long afterwards his friendsmight find his bones. 

Then he thought of crying for help and gave half a dozen shouts. But no answer came back, for nobody was in that vicinity. 

Again he tried to raise himself, and by a mighty effort got upa distance of a foot and a half. But that seemed to be the limitand, utterly exhausted, he dropped back, gasping for breath. 

"It's no use, " he mused, dismally. "I'm caught in a regular vise. "

Then he thought of cutting his way out of the tree and after along struggle managed to get at his jack-knife. But cutting inthe position he occupied was a slow process, and made his handache long before he had even a hole through which he might peer. 

At last he gave up the attempt and stood still, not knowing whatto do next. He felt that he was as good as buried alive. Whatwas to be the outcome of this perilous adventure?

CHAPTER XIII

LOST IN THE WOODS

Snap had fairly good luck while on the hunt. He shot half a dozenrabbits and one of the plumpest partridges he had yet seen. 

As he moved along, he listened for some shots from Shep, but, hearing none, concluded that his chum was having no success. 

"It's too bad, " thought Snap, at length. "Perhaps I had bettergo back and get him to come this way. "

With his game in his bag and over his shoulder, he retraced his stepsto where he had separated from Shep and began to call his chum. Notgetting any answer, he started after the other young hunter. 

"He must have gone back, " he mused, coming to a halt when he waswithin a hundred feet of the tree in which poor Shep was a prisoner. "And if that is so I may as well go, too. He might at least havewaited for me. "

Whistling carelessly to himself, Snap made his, way back to the camp. He found nobody at hand, but presently Whopper hove into sight withsome fish, followed by Giant. 

"Hullo! That's a nice haul!" cried Whopper. "How did Shep make out?"

"I don't know. Isn't he here?"

"I haven't seen him. "

"Neither have I, " put in the smallest of the young hunters. "Ithought he went out with you. "

"So he did; but we separated, and I thought he came home, as Icouldn't find any trace of him. "

"Oh, I guess he'll come along after awhile, " observed Whopper. "Maybe he is trying to bring in an extra lot of game. "

"I didn't hear him doing any shooting, " answered Snap. 

However, he was not much disturbed, and the boys sat around thecamp for an hour, waiting for Shep to return. Then they prepareddinner, and while eating talked about the sports still to come. 

"I tell you, I don't much like this, " said Snap, at last. "I wishShep was back in camp. "

"Do you think anything has really happened to him?" questioned Giant, quickly. 

"I don't know what to think. "

"Let us fire a signal. "

This suggestion from Whopper met with approval, and they fired asignal long before agreed upon---two shots in rapid succession. Theywaited impatiently, but no answering shots came back. 

"Let us go out and look for him, " said Giant. "Perhaps he hasfallen into a hole and broken a leg, or something like that. "

"Oh, there are lots of things could happen to a fellow out here, "answered Whopper. "But I thought we could trust Shep to take careof himself. "

They waited a while longer, and then, putting the camp in order, set out on the hunt for the missing member of the gun club. 

It was an easy matter to reach the spot where Snap and Shep hadseparated. Then they took to the trail Shep had followed, untilthey came to a bit of a clearing. 

"Oh my! look there!" ejaculated Giant, suddenly. "Come backof the bushes, quick, before they see you!"

Having hauled his companions behind the bushes, he pointed toa spot beyond one end of the lake. 

"I don't see anything, " said Snap. 

"I do!" cried Whopper. "Some deer!"

"Yes, three or four of 'em!" cried the little hunter. "Oh, ifwe could only get at 'em!"

"I think I understand now, " came from Snap. "Shep must have goneafter those deer. "

"Like as not---and he didn't answer our signal for fear of scaringthem, " answered Giant. 

The sight of deer filled the three young hunters with enthusiasm, and for the moment they gave up the idea of finding Shep. Snapthought he saw a path leading around the lake end, and proposedthey go after the game without delay. 

"It's our first chance at deer, and it may be our last, " he said. "Even if Shep did go after them we may as well do our share towardbringing some of 'em down. "

The others were willing enough to go after the deer, and awaythey went, pushing through the brushwood and over the rocks, inan endeavor to get around the end of the lake which, at this locality, formed a long V-shape, each side overhung with trees and bushes. 

They were making good progress, and Whopper was in advance, when theyoung hunter let out a cry of alarm:

"A snake! A rattlesnake!"

He was right, the rattlesnake was there, and in order to get outof the way of the reptile they rushed pell-mell into the woodsuntil they suddenly found themselves in a swamp over their ankles. They kept on until they reached higher ground and then pausedin the midst of some tall brushwood. 

"That was certainly a scare!" gasped Giant. "I don't want anyrattlesnakes in mine!"

"Nor I, " put in Whopper. "Gosh! He was about a hundred feet long!And did you see the eyes? Regular electric eyes!"

"Phew! It takes Whopper to tell the plain truth, " said Snap, witha grin. "But he was bad enough, I admit, " he continued. "If hehadn't been I shouldn't have legged it as I did. "

"Don't forget that we are out after the deer, " said Giant, after theexcitement had somewhat died away. "What direction is the game, anyway?"

They looked around them and then for the first time noticed thatthey were surrounded by tall trees, which all but shut out thesunlight. Then the sun went under a cloud, making it quite dark. 

"Come on, this is the way, " said Whopper, and the others followedhim without question, but they seemed to get deeper and deeperinto the forest, and at last came to a halt close to the baseof a series of big rocks. 

"I think we have missed it, " said Snap, gazing around sharply. 

"Missed it?" queried Giant. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we are not getting around the end of the lake at all. "

"Do you think we are lost?"

At this the leader of the gun club shrugged his shoulders. 

"You can put it that way if you wish, Giant. "

"Oh, dear! I don't want to be lost!"

"Oh, we are not lost!" put in Whopper, briskly. "Come on. "

"Do you want to climb over the rocks, Whopper?" asked Snap. 

"No; let us go around them. "

They attempted to do this, only to find themselves caught in a tangleof undergrowth from which it was almost impossible to extricatethemselves. Then they came out at a point that was all but surroundedby big rocks. It was now so dark they could scarcely see in anydirection. 

"We may as well face the truth, fellows, " said Snap. "We are lost. "

"Lost!" came from both of the others. 

"Yes, lost. And how we are to get out of the mess I don't know. "

"Well, this is the worst yet!" came with a groan from Whopper. "Westart out to find Shep and end up by getting lost. If he is backin camp he will have the laugh on us. "

"This means good-by to the deer, " said Giant. "But I don't care---ifonly we get back to camp in safety. "

"Let us climb a tree and look around, " suggested Snap. 

This advice was followed, but try their best they could not locatetheir camp, although they saw Firefly Lake at a distance to thesouth of them. The sun was setting behind a bank of clouds andsoon it grew positively black beneath the trees. 

It must be admitted that the young hunters felt in anything buta cheerful frame of mind. Giant suggested that there might bemore rattlesnakes at hand, and this made all nervous and on constantguard against reptiles. 

"Are we going to stay here all night?" demanded Whopper, after aspell of silence. 

"I don't see what else we can do, " answered Snap. 

"If we do have to stay, I am going to have a fire, " put in Giant. "Andsomebody ought to remain on guard. "

"To be sure, Giant. All of us can take turns at watching and atkeeping the fire going. "

Wood was handy, and finding something of a cleared space, they builta fire and over this cooked the single squirrel Giant had broughtdown shortly after leaving the regular camp. It was not much of ameal, but it was all they had, and with it they had to be content. 

Even with one on guard, it was rather hard for the other two to goto sleep, though they were worn out by their long tramping around. They slept only by fits and starts, and they were glad enough whenmorning came and they saw the sunlight stealing over the tree-tops. 

"And now for the camp!" cried Snap. "I hope nothing has happenedthere during our absence. "

CHAPTER XIV

THE BOYS AND THE WILDCAT

"Oh, what a night! What a night!"

It was Shep who uttered the words. The long spell of darkness hadat last gone, and looking up overhead he could see a bit of sunshinestriking the edge of the hollow. 

In vain he had tried to get out of the tree. Every plan had provedunsuccessful, and he had been held a prisoner through the longhours which seemed to have no end. 

He was both hungry and thirsty and had slept only by winks, as thesaying goes. 

He no longer dared to think of the future, fearing he would go mad. Was he really to remain there to die of thirst and hunger? Was thehollow tree to prove his coffin?

A bird fluttered down into the hollow and startled him. He raisedhis hand softly and tried to catch it, but like a flash the bird wasgone, and he was left as lonely as before. 

Another hour passed and his thirst seemed to grow upon him everyminute. Then he grew desperate, and bracing himself, tried with allof his strength to burst the hollow tree asunder. But the effortavailed nothing. 

Presently he heard something that caused him to rouse up. It wasthe sound of a shotgun, discharged at a distance. 

"They must be out---perhaps they are looking for me!" he murmured. "I hope they come here!" And he breathed a silent prayer that theymight not pass him by in his sore distress. 

A little later he heard a curious scratching at the top of thehollow. He strained his eyes and saw a bushy tail swishing around. 

"A wild animal!" he thought. "Will it come down on top of me?"

He gave a low call and the animal disappeared. But then, after aperiod of several minutes, it came back again and this time lookeddown into the hollow tree, longingly. 

"A wildcat!"

Shep was right; it was indeed wildcat that had come to pay hima visit, and the beast seemed to be in anything but a good humoras it glared down upon the imprisoned young hunter. 

Would the beast spring down upon him? That was the question Shepasked himself. As quickly as he could he raised his hand whichcontained his jack-knife. 

"Scat!" he hissed, and, alarmed once more, the wildcat backed awayfrom the hollow and sat down on a limb of the tree to think mattersover. As a matter of fact, the hollow tree was one of the wildcat'sfavorite haunts and it did not know what to make of it to find itthus strangely inhabited. 

In the meantime the three young hunters who had lost themselves inthe woods were doing their best to find their way back to camp. Theyhad reached a small opening and Whopper raised an unexpected cry:

"Boys, look!"

"Shep's gun, as sure as fate!" ejaculated Snap. 

"And his game-bag, " added Giant. "What can this mean?"

"I think" began Snap, and then chanced to glance up into the tree. He caught a full view of the wildcat, and stopping his talk, tookquick aim and fired. The wildcat turned over in the air, gave asecond whirl, and then disappeared from view. 

"Where did he go to?" asked Giant, recovering from his astonishment. 

"Fell into the tree, " answered Whopper. "Hark!"

They listened and heard a faint cry for help. 

"Where is that from?"

"The tree! Shep must be in the tree!"

"And the wildcat's on top of him!"

"I'm going to his help!" exclaimed Snap, and began to climb up thehollow tree without delay. 

When he gained the opening he peered down into it. 

"Shep! Are you there?" he called out, anxiously. 

"Yes, " was the faint answer. "Is that you, Snap?"

"Yes. Is that wildcat alive?"

"I guess not. But he has almost smothered me. "

"How did you get down there?"

"Slipped down. Get something and help me to get out. "

"I will. "

"Poor Shep! What a place to be in all night!" was Whopper's comment. "I wouldn't go through that for two billion dollars!"

"I'm going to cut a pole with a notch on the end, " said Snap. "We canpull him up with that. "

A number of saplings were handy and Snap soon had the pole hedesired. Then all three of the boys climbed into the tree andlowered the pole. 

"All ready?" cried Snap. 

"Yes, " was the muffled answer from the bottom of the hollow. 

"Take care, or somebody will slip out of the tree, " cautioned Giant. "Our footing isn't of the best. "

All three of the young hunters strained on the pole with all theirmight. At first they could not budge the doctor's son, but atlast they gained a few inches, and then the rest was easy. 

"I'm glad I am out of that, " gasped Shep, when he could step on oneof the tree's branches. "I don't know what I should have done hadyou not happened along. "

"We started to look for you and got lost, " answered Whopper, andthen told the story. 

Shep was so weak he could scarcely use his feet and they had tohelp him to get to the ground. He told of his night of horrorand of the experience with the wildcat. He was exceedingly thankfulthat they had shot the animal. 

"We may as well take our time getting back to camp, " said Snap. "Ishan't feel like doing anything else to-day. "

"I am going to do nothing but rest, " answered Shep. 

Arriving at the camp they were thankful to find everything justas they had left it. A fire was started up and preparations madefor a substantial meal. Then all took a good wash and ate theirfill, after which they declared they felt much better. 

"I have learned one lesson, " said Shep. "I am going to give hollowtrees a wide berth after this. "

"And when I go out after deer I am going to make sure of where I amtraveling, " said Whopper. "Don't catch me getting lost fifteen milesfrom nowhere again!"

The wildcat had been brought along, and during the afternoon Snapskinned the carcass and hung the pelt up to cure. The carcasswas thrown away, as they did not know what else to do with it. 

After that several days passed quietly and then came another rainlasting the best part of a night. To their satisfaction the newcabin did not leak at all, everything remaining as dry inside asbefore the downpour. 

"Now we have a cabin worth having, " was Snap's comment. "I hopethat rain just leaked in all over Mr. Andrew Felps and his crowd. "

"Oh, don't mention him!" cried Shep. "I hate to even hear the name!"

After the rain it was considerably colder and they were not slowin putting on some of the heavier underwear they had brought along. By the suggestion of Snap they also spent one whole day in cuttingfirewood and piling it up beside the cabin door. 

"There is no telling what we may strike soon, " said Snap. "If aheavy fall of snow should arrive it wouldn't be very nice to becaught without a good supply of wood. "

"Oh, we could go out in the snow and cut some, " said Giant. 

"Not if it was real deep, " put in Whopper. "I'd rather have thewood on hand, as Snap says. "

The boys had not forgotten about the deer they had seen, and onesomewhat cloudy morning they started across the lake in the rowboat, taking their guns and some provisions along. They headed directlyfor the spot where the game had been seen and then hunted for thetrail. 

"Here it is!" cried Shep, presently. "And it looks to be fresh. "

"You are right, " answered Snap. "And that proves that the deerhave been here since that heavy rain. Now, boys, if we followthis trail with care we may be able to bring down something worthwhile. "

And then they set off to follow the trail, little dreaming of thestrange adventure in store for them. 

CHAPTER XV

THE CAVE IN THE MOUNTAIN

The opposite shore of the lake was rocky and full of brushwood, andit was rather difficult to follow the deer tracks, which occasionallyled directly across the rocks. Once in a while they would miss thetrail and then a grand hunt for prints would be instituted, until thetrail was recovered. They passed over one small hill and then came toa broad hollow, fronting something of a mountain. 

"I see some deer!" cried Whopper, pointing with his hand. "Fiveor six of 'em. "

The young hunter was right, and all gazed at the game with longingeyes. The deer were more than a third of a mile away, on themountainside. 

"Let me see, " said Snap, "the wind is blowing from the west. So wehad better make a semicircle and come up on the other side of thegame. If we don't, the wind will carry our scent to them andthey'll be off like a shot. "

Silently the others followed the directions of their leader, andonce again they plunged into the brushwood. The way was harderthan before and more than once they had to halt, not knowing exactlyhow to proceed. 

"This is dead loads of fun, " grunted Whopper. "Never had suchfun since I was born. It's almost as good as chopping wood whenthe other fellows are playing ball!"

"Do you want to go back?" questioned Snap, quickly. "For you canif you wish, you know. "

"Humph! not much. I'm going to see the end of it. "

"Then, don't grumble, " put in Giant. "It's harder work for me toclimb the rocks than you. "

On they went until they came to another opening. They gazed forwardeagerly, but to their chagrin the deer had disappeared. 

"Now what do you make of that?" came quickly from Shep. 

"They can't be far off, " said Snap, cheerfully. "Perhaps they arejust beyond the bushes yonder. "

Up the mountainside they went, sometimes abreast and then in Indianfile. Soon they came to a mass of heavy undergrowth. 

"Gracious, what a tangle this is!" cried Giant. "I don't seem to be\able to get through, no matter how hard I try. "

"I'll help you, " answered Snap, and worked his way to the smallyouth's side. 

"Say, fellows, the bottom isn't very safe here!" exclaimed Whopper, a second later. "It's all spongy!"

"Let us get out!" put in Shep, thinking of his experience in thehollow tree. 

They tried to turn, but before they could make any progress felt thebrushwood sinking rapidly. Then came a crashing of branches andvines, and down slipped all four of the young hunters, from thebright light of day into utter darkness!

All gave yells, for they were thoroughly frightened. They werepitched together in a heap, and held tight to one another as theywent down, first a distance of fifteen or twenty feet and thentwice further. 

"We are in water!" gasped Shep, when he could speak. The waterwas up to their ankles, but speedily it reached their knees. 

At last, when the downward movement had come to an end, the boysdrew long breaths and tried to gaze around them. They were ina mass of brushwood, and this brushwood seemed to be floating onthe water. All was pitch dark around them, for they had not comedown straight, but in something of a zig-zag fashion. 

"Well, of all things!" came from Whopper. "Are we going down tothe center of the earth?"

"It looks like it. " answered Giant, with a groan. 

"One thing seems to be certain, fellows---we are not meant to getthose deer. "

"That looks to be true, " answered Snap. 

"This is about as bad as being down that hollow tree, " said Shep. He was more than glad that he was not alone. 

Having recovered their breath a little, the young hunters tried todecide upon what would be the best thing to attempt next. 

"We have got to get out, that is all there is to it, " said Snap. 

"Well, I am willing, " said Whopper, gravely. 

"See any stairs around?" asked Giant. 

"Maybe Snap has spotted an elevator, " said Whopper, with a grin. "If so, Snap, press the button by all means. "

"I don't think this is any laughing matter, " said the leader ofthe gun club. 

"No more do I, " answered Shep, quickly. "The sooner we get outof this hole the better. "

"We are moving again!" ejaculated Giant, and all felt that he wasright. The whole mass of brushwood floated off on something of anunderground stream, carrying the boys with it. The movementcontinued for a distance of at least two hundred feet and then thebushes became stationary. 

As it was still pitch dark around them, Snap lit a match and setfire to a dry bush. By the light, they saw they were in a hollowthat was not unlike a cave in the mountain. At their feet ranthe stream that had carried them forward, disappearing under someoverhanging rocks. On all sides were rocks and dirt, with hereand there a decayed tree root, showing that they were not veryfar under the earth's surface. 

"Here's an adventure, " was Shep's comment. "We must be careful, orwe'll bring down that dirt above us and be buried alive. "

"We are about buried alive now, " said Giant. "I'd give a good bitto be out of this hole. "

Stepping from the brushwood, the boys made their way to the dirt androcks beyond. By this time each had a kind of a torch, so the placewas fairly well lighted. 

Walking back a distance, they saw where the smoke curled to---throughthe shaft down which they had fallen so unceremoniously. But the topof the shaft was hidden from their view. 

"I don't know how we are going to get up that, " was Shep's comment, after looking the ground over. "If we try it we may bring allthe dirt and rocks down on our heads. "

"Just my idea of it, " answered Snap. "Let us try to find some otherway out. "

They walked back and forth in the cave and then, by common consent, sat down on some flat rocks to consider the situation. 

Nobody felt like joking, for all felt the seriousness of thesituation. 

"That water must come to the surface somewhere, " said Snap. "Butit may be a good distance from here. "

As they were wet to the knees, one after another got down in thestream and examined the rocks. Some thought they saw daylight underthe water beyond the rocks, but nobody was sure. 

"If it wasn't so cold a fellow could take a dive and find out, " saidShep. "But I don't want a dive in such water as that, " and theothers agreed with him. 

It was noontime and Whopper suggested that they have something to eat. 

"I am willing, " said Snap. "But don't eat too much. There is notelling how long we'll have to remain down here. "

So they ate sparingly, and washed the meal down with water from theunderground stream, which was as pure as it was cold. 

The afternoon was passed in looking around the cave. All they foundof interest were the bones of several wild animals. 

"Perhaps they fell into this place and couldn't get out again, "suggested Shep, gloomily. 

Snap had obtained a long stick and with this he was poking at theceiling in various spots. He worked with care, and the otherswatched him with interest. 

"There, look at that!" he cried, presently. "The stick has gonethrough into something!"

He withdrew the stick as he concluded, and the boys saw a single rayof light shoot down upon them. All sprang to the opening quickly. 

"There is daylight there, that is sure!" cried Whopper, and his voicehad a ring of hope in it. "Let us dig away a little dirt and see whatcomes of it. "

All were willing, and they poked at the dirt with care, using suchsticks as they could find for the purpose. At first the ground cameaway slowly, but soon Snap noticed several cracks. 

"Look out there!" he cried. "Something is coming down! Get back!"

All leaped out of danger and the next moment down came a mass ofdirt, rocks and brushwood, scattering in all directions. Thedownfall left a hole all of two yards in diameter, and they couldeasily look out on the sky. 

"Hurrah!" cried Whopper. "This is how the young hunters escape fromtheir underground dungeon cell!"

The fall of the dirt and rocks had left a mound on the center of thecave floor, and by mounting this they were enabled to pull themselvesto the earth's surface. It is safe to say that never were boys moredelighted to get out of a hole. 

"After this I am going to be careful where I step, " said Shep. "First it was a hollow tree and then this cave. Maybe the next timeI won't get out at all, " and he gave a little shiver. 

CHAPTER XVI

A SUCCESSFUL DEER HUNT

While they were in the cave all thought concerning the deer had beenvanished, but now they were at liberty once more the four younghunters were just as eager as ever to get a shot at the game. 

"We must hurry if we want to do anything, " said Snap. "It is sucha gloomy day that it will be dark soon and then the deer willsurely give us the slip. "

On they went, up the mountainside, but now taking care that theyshould go into no more caves. Thus several hundred feet were covered. Then of a sudden, Snap held up his hand. 

"Hark!"

All listened and heard a crashing in the brushwood. Like a flash, five deer leaped into view, rushing across a small opening. They sawthe boys and were out of sight again in a twinkling, before a guncould be raised at them. 

"Why didn't you shoot?" cried Shep to Snap. 

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't have my gun ready, " came from Whopper. 

"Neither did I, " added Giant. 

The four young hunters gazed at each other sheepishly enough. Theirlong tramp had been all in vain. 

"We're a lot of doughheads, " grumbled Shep. "Come all the way forthose deer and then-----Oh, say, let's go back home!"

"I wasn't thinking the deer would come this way, " said Snap. "Butthis proves the truth of Jed Sanborn's words. He told me when Iwent hunting I must be ready for a shot all the time. "

There was an awkward silence. The boys were bitterly chagrined. 

"Can't we follow them up again?" asked Giant. 

"Not to-night, " answered Whopper. "They may go several miles beforethey stop. They got so close to us that they were thoroughly scared. My, what an opportunity we lost for bagging at least four of them!"

"We better not tell anybody of this experience, " said Whopper. "If wedo, everybody will have the laugh on us. "

It was growing dark already and they thought the best they could dowould be to go down to the lake and row back to camp. During theday they had allowed some small game to pass unmolested, and thisnow added to their discomfiture. 

"I am going to stir up something before I go back, " declared Whopper. 

"So am I, " added Snap. 

It took the best part of an hour to get back to the lake shore, andon the way they discovered several rabbits, some squirrels, and overa dozen birds of good size. The bringing down of this game servedto raise their spirits a bit, but they still felt decidedly sorewhenever they thought of the deer. 

It was nightfall when they rowed across the lake and struck the shorein front of their camp. While Giant tied up the boat the othershurried to the cabin. 

"Hullo! somebody has been here!" exclaimed Snap, glancing aroundhastily. 

His words were true, as the others could readily see. All of theirstores had been overhauled and some few of them taken away. On thefloor lay the broken bowl of a clay pipe and near it some half-burnttobacco. 

"Hullo! Anybody around here?" called out Shep, and ran outsideto gaze around. No answer came back, nor did anybody show himself. 

"It was evidently a man, and he smoked a clay pipe, " said Snap. 

"Couldn't have been Jed Sanborn?" asked Whopper. "He smokes, sometimes. "

"No; Jed wouldn't tumble the stores around in this fashion, " answeredSnap. "And, besides, if he came here he would most likely be backnow to see us. No; this is the work of some stranger. "

"Maybe somebody from the Felps camp, " put in Giant, who had come up. 

"That is possible, " said Snap. 

"Let us see just what is missing, " said Shep. 

They made a careful examination of all the things in the camp. Onelad had lost some underwear, another a pair of socks and ahandkerchief and another a blanket. Some provisions were gone, alsoa knife and fork, a cup, a frying-pan and half a dozen other things. 

"Whoever was here evidently fitted himself to camp out, " observedShep. "I wish we could catch him! I'd give him a piece of my mind. "

"So would I, " added Whopper. 

All were too tired, however, to hunt for the interloper and all theydid that evening was to get supper and take it easy. When they turnedin it was raining, but by midnight the stars came out one by one. 

"After this I shall hate to leave the camp all alone for fear somebodywill run off with our things, " remarked Snap, while at breakfast. 

"Just the way I feel about it, " answered Shep. "Yet we can't watchthe things all the time. "

For several days they remained close to the camp and then receiveda second visit from Jed Sanborn. 

He reported that everything was going on well at Fairview, andlistened to what they had to tell with much interest. 

"Yes, you must get those deer by all means, " he said. "But aboutthe feller that come here and took your things. He must have beena mean critter an' no mistake!"

Jed Sanborn was quite willing to go out with them after the deer, andthe start was made on the following morning. They were soon acrossFirefly Lake, and then the old hunter showed the boys an easy trailover the hill and up the distant mountain. 

"Gracious! This beats going through the bushes!" cried Giant. 

"It's a pity we didn't know of this trail before, " said Whopper. "Itmight have saved us from going about 'steen miles out of our way. "

"Well, you'll know it after this, " said Jed Sanborn, with a quietsmile. "Can't learn everything in a day, ye know. The woods islike book larnin'---ye have got to learn a page at a time. "

They walked along until nearly noon and then came to something ofa clearing. Here all took a sharp gaze around and at last saw twodeer far over to the eastward. 

"We can walk straight for 'em, " said the old hunter. "The windis blowing our way. "

Once more they hurried on, this time with hopes beating high. Halfthe distance was covered when Jed Sanborn halted the boys. 

"Look to your guns, lads. Is every gun ready for use?"

"Mine is!" came from one after another, as the examination was made. 

"Good! Now remember, if we come up to the deer and you shoot, aimfor the one that's in line with you---that is, the boy on the lefttakes the left deer, the boy on the right takes the deer on theright, a boy in the middle takes one in the middle, and so on. Do you understand that?"

They all said that they did. 

"Very good. Now, one thing more. Don't get scared. Shoot quickly, but take as good an aim as you possibly can. If the deer is comingtoward you, let him git putty close before you let drive. "

Having issued these instructions, the old hunter moved on once more, and the boys followed. Each had his weapon ready for use, and eachadvanced with as little noise as possible. 

The deer were in a little glade, cropping the tender grass around asmall spring. They were six in number, including a fair-sized buck, who occasionally raised his head, as if on guard. But the wind, asJed Sanborn had said, was blowing directly from the deer to thehunters, so nothing in the air gave the game the alarm until it wastoo late. 

When the old hunter raised his hand, the boys knew it was a signalto halt. Jed Sanborn crouched low and wormed his way to some bushesfringing the glade, and the young hunters did the same. 

It was a thrilling sight and it made the boys tremble in eageranticipation. Not a word was spoken, for they scarcely daredto breathe. 

In a minute each hunter had his gun into position, Giant restingon a rock and Whopper in the crotch of a low tree. 

"I'll take the buck, " whispered Jed Sanborn. "Ready?"

"Yes. "

"Then fire!"

Crack! went the several firearms, in a scattering volley, and thebuck and one of the others pitched headlong, not to rise. Anotherdeer was hit in the side, but leaped into the bushes and was soonlost to sight. Still another went limping off on three legs. 

"After 'em! Finish 'em up!" yelled Jed Sanborn, and led in the chase, across the glade and into the brushwood beyond. Here they caughtsight of the limping deer, and all of the boys gave it a shot, which finished it in short order. 

"Three, anyway, " was the old hunter's comment. "Not so bad. "

"You brought down the buck and Snap brought down the deer near him, "said Whopper. 

"And all of you brought down the third one, " said Snap. "I think asJed says, it is not such a bad haul. "

"Can we get the others?" asked Giant, anxiously. "I want to dobetter than I have. "

"No use of going after 'em now, " said the old hunter. "They willrun too far. Some day---listen!"

They listened, and from a distance heard two gun shots, followedby several more. 

"Somebody else is out, " said Shep. "Wonder who it can be?"

He was destined to find out before he was many hours older. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE RIVAL CAMPERS

It was no light matter to get the three deer down to the lake shore. The old hunter showed the boys how to lash the game to long poles, resting the poles on their shoulders as they walked along. 

"I believe I'll take the buck to town, " said Jed Sanborn. "I canget a good price for him there. "

"Will you take one of the deer home for us?" asked Snap, afterconsulting with his fellow-members of the gun club. 

"Sure I will, lad. "

"We want the meat divided, " came from Shep. "Give each family itsfair share. " And so it was arranged, and the boys told Jed Sanbornto tell their folks that all was going well and they were "havingthe time of their lives. "

After Jed Sanborn had departed the four boys set to work to cut upthe deer they had kept. They nailed the hide up so that it mighthe preserved, and then cut a fine venison steak for supper. 

"Now we've got a real camp!" cried Snap, enthusiastically. "Justthink of it! Deer meat!" And he fairly danced a jig for joy. 

It was certainly a happy gathering, and the young hunters voted thevenison steak the best meat they had ever eaten. 

"Well, I declare!" cried Whopper, presently, as he gazed across thelake. "Am I mistaken, or is that a camp-fire I see. "

"It certainly is a fire, " answered Snap, leaping to his feet. 

"Maybe it belongs to those persons we heard shooting, after we shotthe deer, " suggested Shep. 

The boys were curious to know what sort of folks could be in thatvicinity, and after it was talked over, Snap and Whopper enteredthe rowboat and moved over the lake in the direction of the strangelight. 

"I see three persons moving around, " announced Snap, as they drewcloser. "Let us remain on the lake until we make sure what sortof people they are. "

They drew closer with caution and at last made out five young men, among them Ham Spink, the Fairview dude, who was, as usual, smokinga cigarette. 

"It's the whole Ham Spink crowd, " muttered Snap---"Ham and DickBush, Carl Dudder, Sid Foley and Sam Anderson. I didn't knowthey were coming up here. "

"Ham said something about going hunting, " answered Whopper. "Don'tyou know how he stuck up his nose at our way of going out?"

"Yes, I remember. But I don't see that their camp looks any betterthan ours does, " went on Snap. "See, they have a fancy striped tent. That looks well, but it can't be very warm. "

"They have one of those patent cook stoves, Snap. They don't use thecamp-fire to cook by. "

"Well, I'd just as soon use the regular fire. "

"See, they have a wash-stand and a regular looking-glass, " went onWhopper. "Nothing like being in style, is there?"

During their conversation the two boys had allowed their craftto float close to shore. Now one of the lads in the camp sawthe boat and leaped up in alarm. 

"Somebody is coming, fellows!" he called out. 

"Oh, it's only Snap Dodge and Whopper Dawson, " drawled Ham Spink, lighting a fresh cigarette. "What do you want?" he asked, abruptly. 

"Nothing, " answered Snap, coldly. 

"Then why did you come over?"

"We wanted to find out who was camping here, that's all. "

"Humph! You are over there, ain't you?" went on Spink. 

"Yes. "

"Had any luck hunting?"

"A little. "

"Just wait till we get down to business. We are going to bring downeverything in sight, " went on Ham Spink. He could hardly talkwithout "blowing his own horn, " as some of the boys put it. 

"Were you out for something this afternoon?" asked Whopper, curiously. 

"What business is that of yours?" asked one of the other boys. 

"None at all. "

"Yes, we were out. We got two fine wild turkeys, " answered Ham Spink. "To-morrow we are going after some deer we saw early this morning. "

"Maybe you won't get them, Ham, " said Snap. 

"Why not, I'd like to know?"

"We got three of them this afternoon. "

"Three deer!" came from nearly all of the rival hunters. 

"Yes. "

"Oh, that's a fairy-tale, " came from Ham Spink. "You can't make mebelieve it. "

"It is true, " said Whopper. "Jed Sanborn was along. He took twoof the deer to town, and we have the other at our camp. "

"Humph! Think you are some pumpkins, I suppose, " sneered Ham Spink. "Well, let me tell you one thing: Don't you dare to interfere withour hunting after this. "

"We have as much right to hunt here as you have. "

"We saw those deer first and it was our right to shoot them. "

"Then why didn't you shoot?"

"Next time we will, " said one of the other boys. 

"How long are you going to stay here?"

"As long as we please. "

A few more words passed, and then Snap and Whopper turned their boataround and started back for their own camp. 

Hardly had they done this when something whizzed through the air andlanded in the bottom of the boat with a squashing sound. It was atomato that was overripe, and the center splashed over both boys. 

"Who threw that?" cried Snap, in anger. 

There was no answer. 

"Whoever threw that is too cowardly to own to it!" went on theleader of the Fairview Gun Club. 

"Do you mean to say we are a set of cowards?" blustered Ham Spink. 

"Yes, you are, to do such a mean thing as that in the dark. "

Just then another overripe tomato came whizzing over the rowboat. Had not Whopper ducked his head he must have been struck. 

"Wait, I'll give them a dose of shot!" cried Whopper, reaching downinto the boat as if to take a gun. As a matter of fact, the boyshad brought no weapons with them. 

"Hi! hi! Don't you dare to shoot!" roared Ham Spink, in terror. 

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" came from some of the dude's friends. 

"Are you going to throw any more things at us?" demanded Whopper. 

"No, no!"

Some of the boys on shore were so scared that they ran for the nearesttrees and got out of sight. 

"We ought to give them a shot or two, " said Snap, seeing the jokeof the situation. "Maybe it will put some common sense into them. "

"Don't!" came once more from three of the boys on shore, and theydrew further out of sight than ever. 

"You are a set of cowards, " said Snap. "Now, don't you dare to makeany more trouble for us. If you do, you'll surely get into hot water. "

"We'll---er---let you alone if you'll let us alone, " answered HamSpink, in a voice that trembled. 

"Very well, then, see that you remember that, " said Snap. 

A moment later he and Whopper rowed away and soon the darkness hidthem from the view of the Spink party. Then the boys on shore drewa sigh of relief. 

"What rowdies!" declared one boy, who was as dudish as Spink. "Ireally believe they would have shot us, don't you know!"

"Very, very rude, " said the youth who had thrown one of the tomatoes. 

"They ought to be locked up for threatening us, " declared Ham Spink. "It is an outrage that we cannot come here for an outing withoutbeing bothered by such low creatures. "

"I tell you what we can do, " piped in one of the crowd. "Let us goover to their camp some day when they are away and hide all theirthings on them. "

"Yes, that's an idea!" cried several. "It will be lots of fun, andthey won't know who did it. "

"Well, we want to be certain that nobody is around, " said Ham Spink. "For if they caught us at it they would surely kill us. "

"Oh, we'll be careful!"

CHAPTER XVIII

A MIX-UP IN CAMP

After the deer hunt the young hunters were content to take it easyfor several days, lolling around the camp, or going out fishing onthe lake or up the river beyond. 

While fishing one day, Giant and Shep ran into several of the Spinkcrowd and some unpleasant words passed. When the rival campersseparated, the feeling upon both sides was very bitter. 

"I don't like those chaps at all, " was Shep's comment. "I am sorrythey came to Firefly Lake. "

"They make me sick, " was the way Giant expressed himself. "And theyare such dudes, too, with their fancy hunting outfits and patentfishing gear. "

"And not one of them can shoot worth a cent, " said Snap. 

"How do you know that?"

"I saw them at the shooting-gallery one day. They couldn't make asingle bull's-eye, try their best, and lots of times they didn't evenhit the target. "

On Friday, Shep came into camp from a walk up the lake and his faceshowed his excitement. 

"I saw some more deer!" he cried. "Come on, all of you! It's thechance of our lives!"

This announcement filled the crowd with excitement, and soon theywere asking all sorts of questions of the doctor's son. He hadlooked across the upper end of the lake and had seen seven or eightdeer making their way along one of the mountain trails. 

"We'll take to the boat and go over, " said Snap. "Hurry up and getsome provisions together. This may keep us out all day. "

The boys set to work with a will, and in twenty minutes were readyfor the trip. They kicked out the camp-fire, shut up the cabin andthen leaped into the rowboat and took up the oars. 

"I suppose the cabin is safe, " said Snap, a little anxiously. 

"Safe enough, " answered Shep, whose mind was on the deer. 

The young hunters rowed up the lake with all speed, and, landing, tied their craft fast among the bushes. 

"This will be an all-day chase, I guess, " said Giant. 

"Well, what of it?" returned Whopper. "Our time is our own. I hopewe get at least one deer. "

The young hunters soon passed out of sight of the shore, and amoment later another rowboat appeared, containing Ham Spink and hisparticular crony, Dick Bush. 

"Say, Ham, did you hear what they said?" asked Dick Bush, eagerly. 

"I certainly did, Dick, " drawled Spink. 

"They expect to be gone all day. "

"Exactly. "

"This will give us the chance we have been looking for. "

"By jove! that's so!"

"We can go over to their camp and do just as we please, and they willnever know who did it. "

"Not unless they come back sooner than we expect. "

"We can stop them from coming back in a hurry. "

"I don't see how. "

"Over yonder is their boat. We can tow that along. When they findthe boat gone they'll have to walk around the end of the lake, andthat will take a long time. "

"So it will. Do you think it is safe to take the boat now?"

"We can wait a little while. "

They waited, and at last, thinking the coast clear, pulled the othercraft from the bushes and tied it to the stern of their own boat. Then they wound up their lines, for they had been fishing, and lostno time in rowing to their camp, where they had left their cronieslolling in the sun, smoking cigarettes and playing cards. 

"Hullo! where did you pick up the boat?" asked one of the otherboys. 

"It belongs to the Snap Dodge crowd, " answered Ham Spink. "Boys, wehave got the chance of our lives to get square with that crowd now, "he added. 

Matters were speedily explained, and all of the dudish boys presentvoted it would be just the thing to go over to the other camp and"make a mix of it, " as they expressed it. 

No time was lost in getting away from their own camp, and it did nottake them long to get to the opposite shore of the lake. Here theytook the second rowboat and hid it under some overhanging bushes. 

"We'll make it look as if it drifted here, " said Ham Spink, andthis was done, a broken line dragging in the water over the bow. 

Arriving at the other camp, the dudish boys proceeded to makethemselves at home. Feeling certain Snap's crowd would not returnfor some time, they rekindled the fire and cut themselves somemeat and took whatever of the stores they wanted. Inside of anhour a good dinner was ready and they sat down to this with gusto. 

"Nothing like living on the fat of the land, " observed Ham Spink. "Must say, their coffee is all right. "

"That's because you made it good and strong, " said another of theboys. 

"Here's a fine can of condensed milk, " said another, helping himselfliberally. 

"I found some fine sardines, " put in still another. "And here is atin of fancy crackers. "

"And some good cheese. Say, boys, they must be living pretty well, eh?"

So the talk ran on, while the Ham Spink crowd ate whatever theydesired. As the meal progressed, they grew reckless and began tothrow things around, so that more than a quarter of the stores wereliterally wasted. 

After the meal was over the boys set to work to hide what remainedof the stores, in the brushwood back of the camp. They carriedeverything out of the cabin, even to the blankets and extra clothing. Some clothing was thrown high into a tree and some shoes were placedunder a flat rock. 

It was not until four in the afternoon that Ham Spink and his croniesbegan to think of getting back to their own camp. They were all inrare good humor, thinking they had accomplished something wonderfullysmart. 

"We must watch for the return of Snap Dodge and his chums, " said Ham. 

"To be sure, " put in Dick Bush. "Won't their eyes open when they seethis! I just guess!"

"Finest trick I ever played in my life, don't you know, " drawled oneof the dudish boys. 

The fire was kicked out and they took themselves to their boat. Astrong wind was coming up, ruffling the surface of Firefly Lake. 

"Wish we didn't have to row in the wind, " said Ham Spink. 

"We can take our time, " said another. 

They were a lazy, idle set, and wrangled over the question of whoshould row the boat. At last it was decided that all should takea turn, and they started. 

The wind was increasing every minute, and no sooner were they out onthe lake than the full blast caused the waves to dash over the side. 

"Hi! I don't like this!" cried one of the boys, in alarm. "Theboat may go over-----"

"Well, we have got to get back to our camp, " said Ham, in dismay. Hedid not like the roughness himself. 

To keep the water from coming into the boat they had to row into thewind, and this took them some distance away from their camp. Even asit was, every boy got more or less wet, which put them in an ill humor. 

"I didn't calculate on this when I started out, " grumbled one, as hesurveyed his fancy outing costume. "I'll have to have these pressedagain before long, " and he sighed. 

There was a point of land around which the wind was sweeping at afurious pace, and to avoid this spot, they decided to tie up theirboat in a safe cove and walk to their camp through the woods. 

"It's blowing up another storm, " said one of the boys. "I think itwill rain to-night, and rain hard. "

"Won't those other fellows enjoy it---if they can't find their things!"

"The things will get wet. "

"Humph! what do we care?" grumbled Ham Spink. 

"Maybe they'll make us pay for anything that is spoiled. "

"I shan't pay a cent!"

"Nor I!" came from several. 

The walk through the brushwood and over the rocks was not so pleasant, and all of the dudish boys were glad when they at last came in sightof the spot where their own camp was located. 

"It's growing awfully dark, " said one. "And just listen to thatwind! It's a regular gale!"

The wind was indeed blowing a gale and all of the boys hurriedforward faster than ever, until they stood in the midst of their camp. Then, with startled eyes, they gazed around quickly, and a howl ofdismay went up. 

"What does this mean?"

"All of our best things are gone!"

"Yes, and the best of the eating, too!"

"Somebody has been here while we were away!"

"I see what it means !" cried Ham Spink, in a great rage. "While wewere at the other camp those fellows came here and fixed things up asyou see!"

CHAPTER XIX

ANOTHER HUNT AFTER DEER

All unconscious of what was taking place during their absence, Snapand his chums went on their way, in the direction in which Shep hadspotted the deer. 

Having learned a few points from Jed Sanborn, they kept to the trailand made sure that the wind was not blowing from them to the gamethey hoped to lay low. 

It was a rough and laborious climb up the mountainside, and oncethey missed the trail and got into a pocket so that they could gono further. Then, on turning back, Shep saw two magnificent wildturkeys and was strongly tempted to bring one of them down. 

"If you do, you'll scare the deer sure, " said Whopper. 

"I know it but if we miss the deer I'll be sorry I didn't takethis shot. "

"Well, that's the gamble in hunting, " put in Giant. "I saw arabbit awhile ago I could have had for the asking. "

Having gotten out of the pocket, they went on once more, and shortlybefore noon reached a knob of the mountain. From that point theymade out nine or ten deer a distance to the north of them. 

"This is certainly a great chance, " said Snap, enthusiastically. "Wedon't want to miss it by carelessness. Remember what Jed Sanborntold us. "

All looked to their firearms, and then went forward with scarcely aword. Coming to the last fringe of brushwood, they got down on theirhands and knees and moved on until the game was brought once moreinto view. 

The shot offered was certainly a good one, and in a few whisperedwords the young hunters decided what they would do. Each was to aimat his own deer and fire as many shots as he pleased. They tooktheir positions, and Snap asked if they were ready. A dead silencefollowed. 

"Fire!"

All of the shotguns went off in a volley, and then the shots camescatteringly. Three of the deer went down, dead, and one wasmortally wounded. A big buck got a glancing shot in the flank, and, mad with pain and terror, turned and leaped in the direction of theyoung hunters. 

"Look out!" ejaculated Shep. "He is coming for us!"

"Give him another shot!" yelled Giant. "My gun is empty. "

Snap took hasty aim, but the shot only struck the buck in theside. Then the beast came on, with lowered antlers, as if topin Snap against a tree. 

At that moment Whopper fired, hitting the buck in the right foreleg. Down went the animal, but struggled up a moment later and tried toleap into the brushwood where Shep was concealed. 

As he came down over the doctor's son, the boy was badly frightenedand gave the buck a shove with his hand. Weak from loss of bloodthe beast fell over. Then Shep struck him a blow over the head withthe gun stock and Giant finished him with a shot at close range. In the meantime the other deer that had been mortally wounded wasput out of its misery; and then the short but sharp contest cameto an end. 

"What a haul!" ejaculated Snap, as he reloaded his weapon. "Thisis something to make town folks stare!"

"We must send some of the deer home, " put in Whopper. 

"Yes, yes!" cried the others. 

It was with tremendous pride that the four young hunters looked thegame over. The deer were young and tender, and the buck had a finehead, fit for mounting. 

"This haul will open the eyes of the Spink crowd, " remarked Whopper. 

"If they weren't so mean we might send them some venison, " said Shep. 

"They wouldn't thank you for it, " broke in Giant. "They are toohigh-toned for that sort of thing. "

With so much game the boys hardly knew what to do. The deer wereheavy and it was all two of them cared to do carrying one betweenthem, hung from a pole. 

"Well, we have got to get them to the lake somehow, " said Snap. "So the sooner we get at the job the better. Don't grumble. "

"Grumble?" shouted Shep. "Why, I feel like singing. " And he brokeinto a merry whistle. 

They took the deer down to the lake in three trips. It made thempant to climb over some of the rocks, and when the job was donethey were all out of breath. 

"Have you fellows noticed how the wind is rising?" remarked Giant, ashe paused to wipe the perspiration from his forehead. 

"Yes, " answered Shep. "We are surely fixing for a storm. "

"By the way, Shep, " came from Snap, "don't you wish you had shota turkey instead of the deer?"

"Don't say turkeys, " replied the doctor's son, reproachfully. Theyhad brought the deer close to the spot where the rowboat had beentied up, and now Whopper went to get the craft. Soon he returned inanxiety. 

"Didn't we tie up here?" he questioned. 

"Certainly, " answered Giant. 

"The boat is gone. "

"Gone!" came from all of the others. 

"Yes. "

A rush was made for the lake front, and they gazed in blank amazementat the spot where the craft had been left. 

"We haven't made any mistake, have we?" asked Snap, slowly. 

"No; this is the very spot, " said Whopper. "I know it by that treeyonder. "

"Whopper is right, " put in Giant. 

"Then one of two things has happened. Either the boat driftedaway-----"

"It couldn't drift away---it was too well tied. "

"Then somebody took it. "

"Perhaps the fellow who visited our camp!" cried Whopper. 

There was a moment of awkward silence. Each youth was wonderingwhat was best to do next. 

"Hi, you fellows!" came from nearby. "Stop!"

They turned, to find themselves confronted by Dick Bush, the dude, and another of the rival campers, named Carl Dudder. 

"What do you want?" asked Snap, shortly. 

"You've been over to our camp, haven't you?" blustered Dick Bush. 

"What makes you think that?" asked Whopper. 

"Because you turned everything upside down and ran off with someof our things. "

"We haven't been near your camp, " put in Giant. "We have been outafter these, " and he pointed to the game. 

When the dudish youths saw the deer they were astonished. 

"Did you kill all those?" cried Carl Dudder. 

"We did. "

"To-day?"

"Yes. "

"Then you weren't near our camp?" questioned Dick Bush, uneasily. 

"We haven't been within a mile of your camp, " answered Snap. "Weleft our boat here this morning and went directly into the mountains. We just got back---to find our boat gone. "

"Well, I'll be blessed!" gasped Carl Dudder, and then he gave hiscompanion a peculiar look. 

"Do you know anything about our boat, Bush?" demanded Snap, sharply. 

"Why---I---er---that is-----"

"Don't say anything!" whispered his companion, quickly. 

"What's that?" asked Shep. "So you do know, eh? What have youdone with the boat?"

"I---er---I didn't say I knew. "

"But you do know---your actions show it!" shouted Whopper. "Boys, don't let them get away until they tell us where our boat is!"

Snap and the others were quick to act, and Dick Bush and Carl Dudderwere at once surrounded. 

"Look here---you---you let us go!" said Dick Bush. His face showedhow uncomfortable he felt. 

"Tell us where the boat is. "

"I---er---I don't know. "

"That isn't true, " said Whopper. "Tell the truth, Bush, unlessyou want us to duck you in the lake!"

At the mention of a ducking the dudish boy lost the most of hiscourage. 

"Don't do that!" he whined. "I---that is, it was only a joke. We---er---we took the boat to the other side of the lake. "

"So that we could walk around to our camp, eh?" said Snap, his eyesshowing his anger. 

"It was, as Dick says, only a joke---and we got paid back for it, "put in Carl Dudder. 

"How?"

"Somebody came to our camp and robbed us. We thought it was yourcrowd. "

"Were you really robbed?" asked Shep. 

"Yes; some of our best clothing is gone and also some of our stores. "

"Well, we were not near your camp, I can give you my word of honoron that, " said Snap. 

"Then some common thief must have come along and done it. "

CHAPTER XX

IN A STORM ON THE LAKE

Snap and his chums were much interested in what the rival campers hadto relate, and questioned the two dudes closely. They could see thatboth Bush and Dudder were unusually ill at ease. 

"Well, all this doesn't help us any, " said Shep. "It is goingto storm and I want to get back to camp. Trot around that boat, or else lend us yours. "

"We'll have to lend you ours, " said Dick Bush. "But---but-----"

"But what?"

"I---er---I can't tell you, " answered Bush, and turned away. 

"Is there anything else wrong?" asked Giant. "Maybe you were overto our camp. "

"Were you?" asked Snap, catching Carl Dudder by the arm. 

"Let go!"

"I want you to answer me, Dudder. "

"I wont answer!"

"Then it is true. "

"What did you do at our camp?" asked Shep. 

"Go and find out!"

Carl Dudder had scarcely spoken when he found himself flat on hisback, with Snap on top of him. In the meantime the other boyscaught hold of Dick Bush. 

"We must get at the bottom of this, " said Snap. "Something iswrong here, that is certain. "

"It wasn't my plan, " whined Dick Bush, who seemed to be more cowardlythan his companion. "I---I didn't do hardly anything. "

"Well, you can't blame it on me, " retorted Carl Dudder. 

"Maybe it was Ham Spink's plan, " suggested Whopper. 

"It was. "

"And what did you do?"

"Hid your stuff on you, " said Dick Bush, in a low tone. 

"Anything else?"

"Well, we---er---we took a little meat and had some dinner whilewe were over there. "

After that the two dudish boys confessed what had been done, layingthe greater part of the blame on the others of their party. Snapand his chums were rightly indignant. 

"We ought to duck you in the lake and then have you locked up, "said Snap. "It is what you deserve. "

"No, no!" came with a shiver from Dick Bush. "Let us off, and I'llpay my share of the damage done. "

"It isn't a question of money, " said Shep. "It's your utter meanness. "

The wind was now blowing so violently that the boys began to growalarmed, and after a brief talk, Snap and his chums decided tofollow Bush and Dodder to their camp, taking their guns with them. The deer were hung up in some trees, out of the reach of other animals. 

The coming of Snap and his friends to the rival camp producedanother stormy scene, and for awhile it looked as if there wouldbe an open fight. The young hunters "laid down the law" goodand hard, and Ham Spink and his crowd were much alarmed in consequence. 

"You had no right to touch our things, and I could have you arrestedfor it, " said Snap. "Now our boat is gone, I am going to claim yoursuntil we get ours back. "

"That ain't fair!" cried Ham Spink. 

"It has got to be fair, " answered Snap, stubbornly. 

"Most of our stores are gone, too, " growled the dudish youth. 

"That isn't our fault. "

"Will you---er---will you sell us one of your deer?" falteredanother of the crowd. 

"If you absolutely need it, yes; otherwise, no, " said Shep. 

"Yes, we need it. We are almost cleaned out of everything. "

"One of you has got to go with us, " said Snap, a moment later. 

"What for?"

"To show us where our things are. "

"We'll tell you where they are, " said several. They were afraidto cross the lake in such a wind. 

The secret was revealed, and a few minutes later Snap and his chumsstarted for the boat, which was close at hand. 

"You can have this boat as soon as the wind lets up, " said Giant. 

"And what of the deer?"

"You can take the smallest, " said Snap. "But mind, don't touch theothers, or it will be the worse for you!" he added, sternly. 

It was dark and blowing a full gale when the four young huntersembarked. They realized that the journey to their camp would be aperilous one, and wished that the other crowd was more friendly, sothat they could remain with them all night. But they had not beenasked to stay and were too proud to mention it. 

"Phew! but this is a sockdollager!" was Whopper's comment. "Blowingabout two thousand miles an hour, I guess. I hope it doesn't sendus to the bottom. "

"Don't be so cheerful, " said Shep. "Boys, we have got to do somenice work with the oars, or else ship a lot of water, " he added, gazing out on the black and angry lake. 

"Well, come on, " said Giant. "The sooner we get at it the sooner we'llbe on the other side. "

All took their places at the oars, and a few strokes sufficed to sendthem well out into Firefly Lake. Here they felt the full force ofthe breeze, and in a twinkling Shep's cap was blown from his head. 

"My cap!"

"Here it is, " answered Snap, passing it over. "Say, boys, this is acorker sure! Can anybody see ahead?"

"I can see a little, " said Whopper. "But not a great deal. "

They rowed on, bending low to escape the fury of the wind. Therowboat rocked violently, and every time she went down some watercame in over the gunwale. 

"Let us move down the lake, " suggested Shep. "We can't go straightacross. We can come up again on the other shore---if the wind willlet us. "

Presently they reckoned that they had reached the middle of the lakeand here all was very dark. They ceased rowing in order to get theirbearings. 

"I am a little twisted, " said Snap. "Can we be in the vicinity ofHumpback Rock?"

"Perhaps we are, " answered one of the others. 

Again they took up the oars. The wind tore along at a frightfulrate of speed and the water was a mass of whitecaps. 

"I think-----" began Giant, when there came a sudden thump. Therowboat had struck the mass of rocks just mentioned, lying nearthe center of the lake. The craft tipped over and into the lakewent the four young hunters, with a loud splash. 

As Snap went down he felt Shep on top of him. Then they claspedhands and came to the surface. Not far away was the upturned rowboat. 

"Shep, are you all right?"

"I---I guess so, " was the chattering reply. "Oh, but it's cold!"

A moment later Giant loomed up in the darkness, and all three ofthe boys took hold of the overturned boat. 

"Where is Whopper?" asked Shep. 

"I don't know, " answered the smallest of the young hunters. "Whata happening!"

"We must find Whopper!" cried Snap. "Hello, Whopper!" he called, as loudly as he could. 

A distant cry came back. Then those on the boat continued tocall and soon they made out their chum, swimming desperately someyards away. 

"Come this way, " said Shep. 

"I---I-----can't swim! I've got---a---a chill!" was the despairinganswer. 

Hearing this, both Snap and Shep lost not a moment in going toWhopper's assistance. He was on the point of going down when theycaught hold of him and brought him over to the rowboat. 

As best they could all four of the young hunters climbed up on thekeel of the boat, placing Whopper between them. 

"It's as cold as Greenland, " said Whopper. "What are we to do?"

"I don't know---drift, I reckon, " answered Snap. 

"The wind will carry us down the lake, " said Giant, who appearedto suffer the least of all. "But I say, boys, all of our gunsare gone, and other things, too!"

"Well, never mind that just now, " said Snap. "Let us be thankfulif we save our lives. "

"What, you don't think there is serious danger?" asked the smallyouth. 

"Doesn't it look like it, Giant?"

"The wind is coming up again!" cried Shep, and just then they feltits full force. With the wind came a dash of rain, pelting themmercilessly. Truly, they were in a position as uncomfortable as itwas dangerous. 

CHAPTER XXI

A CAMP AND A PRISONER

Slowly the minutes went by. The wind continued to blow strongly andthe rain came down as hard as ever. All of the boys were capless, and the cold chilled them to the very marrow of their bones. 

"I'd give all I am worth to be in camp near a big fire, " came fromGiant, presently. 

"I can't sit up mu-much lon-longer, " put in Whopper, weakly. "I amlike a---a lump of ice already!"

"I think we must be getting close to shore, " said Snap, as bravelyas he could. "Keep up your courage. "

He was at the end of the boat and allowed himself to slip down intothe lake. 

"Hi! Come back!" called Shep, in fresh alarm. 

"I am only going to see how deep it is, " was the reply. 

A few minutes later Snap announced that he could touch bottom. All strained their eyes and thought they could see the shoreat a short distance. 

Snap forced the craft in that direction and soon found himselfin water but three feet deep. 

"We are all right now, boys!" he called out. "Come, let us pullthe boat in. "

They did so, and soon the four young hunters were standing in thesopping wet brushwood on the edge of the lake. They had no ideawhere they had landed and only a dim notion regarding the locationof their camp. 

"I think the best thing we can do, " said Snap, "is to stay aroundhere somewhere and start a good big camp-fire. If we try to getback to our camp we may get lost and also take our death of cold. The quicker we start a fire the better it will be for us. "

"All right, start a fire, " said Whopper. "But it is going to beno easy matter---with all the wood so wet. "

"Look yonder, boys!" cried Giant. "Am I mistaken, or do I seea light?"

"It certainly is a light, " said Shep, looking in the directionpointed out---a place quite a distance from the lake. "Maybesome other campers are around. "

"I hope so, " said Snap. "Perhaps we can get something to eat. "

All were hungry as well as cold, and the idea of a meal appealedto them strongly. Snap led the way through the low brushwood inthe direction of the camp-fire, which was burning under a series ofoverhanging rocks. 

"Let me see what sort of a place it is first, " warned Snap, as theydrew closer. "We don't want to run into any tramps or worse. "

Nobody appeared to be around the camp-fire, which was burningbrightly in spite of the rain and wind. It was a well-shelteredspot, and in the rocks was a hollowed-out place, against whichleaned some split logs, forming a rude shack. 

Catching up a firebrand, Snap gazed into the shack. He gave a goodlook and then came outside and held up his hand for silence. 

"I've made a discovery, " he whispered, excitedly. 

"What?" asked the others. 

"Do you remember that negro who stole Pop Lundy's watch?"

"Yes. "

"Well, he is in there, fast asleep!"

"That rascal!" cried Shep. "Are you sure?"

"Look for yourselves. "

They did so and saw that it was the same colored man beyond theshadow of a doubt. He rested on a couch of pine boughs, flat onhis back and snoring lustily. He was evidently the only occupantof the camp. 

"Look there!" whispered Giant, pointing to a tin can that hadhad some condensed milk in it. "That looks like our stuff!"

"Look at the clay pipe, " put in Whopper. "Do you know what Ithink?"

"He is the rascal who looted our camp?"

"Yes; and maybe he is the fellow who looted the Spink camp, too. "

"Let us make him a prisoner!"

All were willing, and they looked around for a rope. 

"Here is his horse-pistol, " said Snap, picking it up. "I thinkI'll keep it for the present. "

A rope happened to be handy, and with great care they fastened oneend around the negro's right wrist. Then they brought that handover to the other and tied the two together. With another piece ofthe, rope they tied one ankle fast to the other. 

The job was just finished when the negro awoke in a lazy sort of way. He stared stupidly at the young hunters and then his eyes openedwidely and he sat bolt upright. 

"Wha-what's dis?" he stammered. "Whar did yo' cum from?"

"Stay where you are, " ordered Snap, sternly, and flourished thehorse-pistol. 

"Do-doan yo' shoot me!" cried the negro. 

"Then stay right where you are. If you try to get up this pistolmay go off. "

"Has yo' been a-follerin' me?"

"Never mind. We have found you and you are our prisoner, " putin Shep. 

"Huh! Does yo' t'ink I'se afraid ob foah boys!"

"Well, do you want to be shot?" asked Snap, holding the pistol on alevel with the colored man's head. 

"Stop!" screamed the rascal. "Don't do dat! It might go off!"

"Then you keep quiet. "

"What have you done with Simon Lundy's gold watch?" asked Giant. 

"Don't know nuffin' about any gold watch. "

"Yes, you do. You took it---there is no use of your denying it, "came from Shep. 

"Is dat man around?" asked the colored rascal, suspiciously. 

"Are you alone here?" asked Snap, ignoring the question. 

"Suah I is. Say, boys, yo' let me go an' I'll make it all rightwid yo', " went on the evildoer, struck by a sudden idea. 

"What is your name?" asked Whopper. 

"Jeff Thompson. "

"Where do you belong?"

"Over to Hamilton. "

"What did you do with that gold watch?"

"I ain't said dat I had de watch. "

"But we are positive you took it, " said Snap "Come, tell us whereit is. "

"I dun hocked it, " was the low answer. 

"Hocked it?" queried Giant. 

"Yes, pawned it fo' six dollahs. "

"Where?"

"At Levy's store in Williamsport. "

"Where is the ticket?" asked Shep. 

"Heah in my pocket. I'se a poah man, dat's wot I am, " went onJeff Thompson. "I didn't hab no wuk an' I was des'prit. So Ituk dat watch. I meant to git it back some day. "

"No doubt, " said Snap, sarcastically. "Give me the ticket, " headded, and stowed the pawnbroker's receipt carefully away in hisown clothes. 

After that Jeff Thompson confessed that he had visited both thecamp of the young hunters and that of Ham Spink's crowd and takensuch things as struck his fancy. He was a shiftless mortal andhalf intoxicated and did not care much what became of himself. 

The boys were too cold and hungry to listen, just then, to hisstory in detail, and threatening to shoot him if he dared to move, they piled some more wood on the fire, rummaged around throughthe stores Thompson had collected and prepared themselves a hotand welcome meal. The negro watched them for awhile and thenturned over and pretended to go to sleep again. 

"Maybe he is playing 'possum, " whispered Shep. 

"We'll keep our eyes on him, " answered Snap. The boys were gladenough to crouch close to the fire and get dry and warm. Theypiled on as much wood as possible, and drank a large quantityof hot coffee, to keep from taking cold. And thus the night woreslowly away. Each got a few "cat naps, " but that was all. 

About three o'clock the storm went down and by sunrise the rainand the wind were a thing of the past. The boys were around early, and they gave Jeff Thompson such a breakfast as they thought heneeded. The negro begged for his liberty, and when he could notget it began to grow abusive. 

"Here, none of that!" said Snap, decidedly. "You keep quiet, orI'll place a gag in your mouth. "

"I ain't gwine ter let no foah boys do me up!" cried the negro. 

"Let us gag him!" cried Whopper, and began to make a gag of atree root. But then Jeff Thompson cooled down and said no more. 

The young hunters hardly knew what to do, and after a consultationit was decided to look for their own rowboat and then take a messageto Ham Spink's crowd. The boat was easily located in the daylight, and Whopper rowed across the lake and told his story to the rivalcampers. 

"Humph! that negro ought to be locked up!" said Ham Spink. "He tookthe very best of our stores!"

"Well, you will have to help take him to town, " said Whopper. 

"We'll do that, too, " was the answer. 

CHAPTER XXII

RABBITS, NUTS AND A SNAKE

It was arranged that Snap and Whopper, with two of the Spink crowd, should take Jeff Thompson and turn him over to the authorities, atthe same time notifying Simon Lundy of what they were doing andgiving him the pawn-ticket for the watch. 

The boat belonging to the Spink crowd was righted and the oars werelocated, and this craft was used for the trip. The negro was tightlybound, so that it was impossible for him to make any trouble. 

"We are going to do what we can to put the camp in order, " saidShep, when the others were ready to leave. "And we are going tohunt for our guns, too. "

The trip from Firefly Lake to Lake Cameron did not take long, andthen began the journey to Simon Lundy's farm. They landed at thefoot of the orchard. Leaving the negro in charge of Whopper, HamSpink and Carl Dudder, Snap ran up to the house. 

"Is Mr. Lundy in?" he asked of Mrs. Lundy, who answered his summonsat the door. 

"Simon! Somebody wants to see you!" said the woman. 

"What's wanted?" asked the miserly farmer, coming forward. 

"We have caught that thief, Mr. Lundy. "

"Do tell!" burst out Mrs. Lundy. 

"Did you git my watch back?" questioned the farmer, eagerly. 

"No; but here is a pawn-ticket for it. "

"How much did he pawn it fer?"

"Six dollars. "

"I ain't goin' to pay it, not me!" ejaculated Simon Lundy. "Thepawnbroker is got to give it up without any pay. "

The farmer put on his coat and walked down to the boat with him. Then he got in, and all rowed to Fairview as fast as they could. 

Their coming produced something of a sensation, as the boys werenot expected. The negro was locked up promptly, and a constablewent off with Simon Lundy to recover the watch. Then Snap andWhopper went home, to remain overnight. The boys passed lightlyover the trials through which they had passed, fearing that ifthey told the bare truth they would not be permitted to go awayto finish the outing. 

Early in the morning, Snap and Whopper had a plain talk with HamSpink. It scared the dudish and overbearing youth, and as aconsequence he obtained for them some additional stores, to takethe place of those used or destroyed by the Spink crowd. 

"I'll make everything right, " said Ham Spink. "Only keep mum. "And he was as good as his word. 

In the meantime, Shep and Giant worked with a will to put thecamp in order once more, and also brought across the lake thedeer that had been shot down. It made them exceedingly angryto see how the camp had been treated by Ham Spink and his cronies. 

"Those fellows don't know what a joke is, " said Shep. "This ispast being funny. "

"Wait---Snap will make them toe the mark, " answered the smalleryouth. "He said he would do it before he left. "

During the afternoon the two boys took the rowboat and also somelines and a drag-net and rowed over to the vicinity of Humpback Rock, where the tipping over had occurred. 

"You can see how shallow the water is here, " said Shep. "We oughtto find at least some of our things. "

"Here is where the boat went over, " answered Giant, and gazingdown into the water he added:

"And there is one of the guns!"

They hooked the weapon up without a great deal of trouble, and soonlocated another gun and then a game-bag. This encouraged them, andthey kept at the task until sundown, finding all the outfit but onegame-bag, which Shep declared of little value, as the strap wasbroken. 

"This is better luck than I anticipated, " said Giant. "Now we mustclean the guns without delay. "

The entire evening was spent in overhauling and oiling the guns, and in drying out the gamebags. They also dressed one of the deer, hanging up the meat as before. The Spink crowd had taken thesmallest of the game and for this they were to pay regular marketprices. 

When Snap and the others got back they brought with them a wholeboat-load of provisions and other things, and were followed byJed Sanborn in his canoe. The hunter had agreed to take the deerto Fairview for them. He was joyful to think they had had such luck. 

"Don't need me to show ye how to bring down deer, " he observed, with a grin on his homely face. "You have done prime, boys, prime, an' I'm proud of ye!"

A portion of the provisions was left at the camp and then HamSpink and his crony crossed the lake, while Jed Sanborn remainedwith Snap and the others. 

"Had to buy a deer from ye, did they?" chuckled Jed Sanborn, whenSpink and Dudder were out of hearing. "They won't never makeno hunters, not if they try a hundred years. I'd starve to deathafore I'd buy meat here, with the woods so full o' things to shoot!"

"I laid down the law good and hard, " said Snap. "I don't thinkthey will give us any more trouble. "

"I think Dudder is rather ashamed of himself, " said Whopper. "ButHam Spink is so thick-skinned it doesn't strike through. "

"What did they do to the negro?" asked Giant. 

"Locked him up for trial. "

"Did Pop Lundy get his watch back?" asked Shep. 

"Yes, after a little trouble. The pawnbroker was awfully mad. Hewants to send the colored fellow to jail, too. "

Snap and Whopper were glad to learn that the outfit had been recoveredand they had Jed Sanborn look at the guns to make certain that allwere fit to use. 

"Didn't hurt 'em a mite, " said the old hunter. "But they couldn'thave stayed in the water much longer. "

"It was lucky the boat went over where the water was shallow, " saidGiant. "Had the water been deep perhaps we shouldn't have gottenback a thing. "

After the old hunter had departed with the deer, the boys set to workin earnest to fix up their camp once more. Some of the things hadbeen spoiled by the heavy storm, but Ham Spink had "made good, "as Snap said, so nothing was really lost, so far as the younghunters were concerned. 

After several days of rest the boys felt once more in proper trimfor sport, and went out after a bunch of rabbits and squirrels. They were fairly lucky, and three o'clock of the afternoon foundthem on the return to the camp. 

"Let us look for some nuts, " suggested Whopper. 

The others were willing, and made their way to a group of treesgrowing some distance up the lake shore. Nuts were to be had inplenty, and soon they had their pockets and the corners of theirgame-bags well filled. 

"I see another tree with some extra large nuts!" cried Shep. "Come on!"

He led the way to the tree in question, which grew on a bit ofland projecting far out into the lake. They soon had some ofthe big nuts and were about to return whence they had come, whenSnap uttered a cry:

"A snake!"

"Where?" came from the others. 

"There---under the tree roots. "

Snap was right; a big snake was close at hand, under some treeroots over which they had just stepped. 

"I don't want anything to do with a snake, " gasped Giant. "Letus get out of here!"

Then all of the young hunters gazed at each other in dismay. Thesnake was directly in their path to the shore proper. 

It was a water reptile and all of five or six feet long. As theyapproached, it raised its head and gave a curious hissing sound. 

All of the boys crowded back. Only Whopper had his gun, the otherweapons having been left at the foot of the other nut trees. Thesnake certainly looked ugly. Evidently it did not like having itsdomain invaded. 

"I'll give it a shot!" cried Whopper, and raised the shotgun carefully. But just as he was on the point of firing, the reptile disappeared. 

"Where is he?"

"He went under the tree roots. "

"Maybe he took to the water. "

The four young hunters gazed anxiously. Then of a sudden they sawthe snake again. It came up through the tree roots almost at theirfeet, hissing more viciously than ever. 

CHAPTER XXIII

AFTER MOUNTAIN BROOK MINK

"Shoot him, Whopper!"

Such was the exclamation from all of the others, and in haste thelad named took hasty aim and pulled the trigger. 

The shot was a poor one, the charge merely tearing across the sideof the water snake. With another hiss it whipped around and in atwinkling had itself curled around Whopper's left leg. 

"Hi! take him off! Take him off!" screamed the young hunter, interror. "Don't let him bite me!"

Snap sprang forward. His one idea was to save his chum, and hedid not think of his own peril. 

"Beware!" cautioned Giant. 

Watching his chance, Snap put his foot on the tail of the watersnake. The reptile whipped around wildly and wound itself aboutthe lower limbs of both boys. 

"I'll get a gun!" yelled Shep, and made a dash for the nearestof the firearms. 

"Don't shoot us!" called out Whopper. 

Catching up a weapon, Shep came up close and let drive almost in theface of the water snake. It was a telling shot, and the reptilewhipped wildly this way and that. Then it fell into the water andwas quickly lost to sight. 

"Is---is he gone?" gasped Whopper. 

"Yes, " answered Giant. "Shep finished him. "

"That was no joke, " said Snap, when he could speak. He was tremblingfrom head to foot. 

"A joke? Well, I reckon not!" spluttered Whopper. "Ugh! It makesme shiver to think about it. "

"Let us get out of here, " came from Snap. "Remember, where thereis one snake there may be more. "

"Then I am going to quit right now!" cried Shep, and lost no timein leaving the neighborhood, followed by the others. 

The boys concluded that they had had adventures enough for oneday and went back to camp. Here two of the lads set to work tomake a rabbit pot-pie, with dumplings. They had seen such thingsmade at home and went at the task with care. When the pot-piewas served all declared it "the best ever. " Perhaps the dumplingswere a trifle heavy, but what of that? Living in the open airhad sharpened their appetites wonderfully and nobody was disposedto quarrel over the meal. 

The next day was rather cold and misty and they kept in or nearthe cabin. Snap had brought some extra sugar and also some chocolatealong, and the morning was devoted to candy-making, some with nutsand some without. The candy was very good, and while they ate afair share, the rest was put away, to be eaten a little at a time. 

So far, since leaving their first camp, they had not seen or heardof Andrew Felps, but that afternoon an old hunter strolled intotheir locality and asked if they could furnish him with a mealand a shakedown until morning, offering three rabbits in payment. 

"I think we can accommodate you, " said Snap. "And you can keepyour rabbits. "

The face of the old hunter looked familiar, and while he was eating, it came out that his name was Jack Dalton and that he had been oneof the two guides who had come up to Lake Cameron with the Felpsparty. 

"I got sick of working for that crowd, " said jack Dalton. "Theywanted to make a regular nigger of me and I up and told Felps Iwouldn't stand for it. "

"Is the other guide with them?" asked Shep. 

"Humph! Dad Begow ain't no reg'lar guide---he's only a campfollower---dish-washer, an' like that. He pertends to be a guide, but he ain't no good at shootin'. Yes, he's with 'em, but he onlystayed because they raised his wages. They wanted to raise mine whenthey saw I was really goin', but I told 'em money wasn't everything. "

"I don't wonder that you got sick of Andrew Felps, " put in Giant. "You know how he treated is. "

"It was dirt mean, lad, an' I about told him so, too. But theFelpses always was a hard crowd to deal with. He thought he wasgettin' one in on Mr. Dodge when he fired you out. "

"I thought as much, " said Snap. "He is very bitter against myfather. "

"It is because of the lumber business---he wanted the tract oflumber to cut that the Barnaby Company got hold of, " went on JackDalton. "How are you a-makin' it?"

"Fine!" said Snap, and then he and his chums told of all the gamethat had been brought down---they having kept a record in a littlebook the leader of the gun club carried. 

"That's first-class, boys, " said the guide. "Couldn't be better. Now, all they got were two wild turkeys, some rabbits and onesmall deer. I led 'em to a fine herd o' deer, but they wantedto do the shootin' all alone. When it came time to let drive, Felps and one o' the other men got buck fever and shot wild, andmost of the deer got away. That was one thing made me sick. Theycan't shoot fer sour apples. "

"And they'll blame their ill luck on you, when they get home, "said Whopper. 

"More'n likely. But I don't care fer thet. Folks in these partsknow what Jack Dalton kin do. Jest you ask Jed Sanborn about it. "

"Yes, Sanborn has spoken about you, " answered Snap. "He said youhad brought down some of the biggest deer and bears in these parts. "

"Exactly so, boy, although I don't want to blow about it. Tootin'yer own horn ain't perlite. But I ain't afraid o' what sech afeller as Andy Felps says. "

That night Jack Dalton told them the story of a bear hunt, whichwas more than ordinarily interesting. He said that bears wereby no means plentiful in the lake region and yet there were a fewaround, some of pretty fair size. 

"You'll run across one when ye least expect it, " said the oldhunter. "When that happens, take your time an' shoot to kill. Ifye don't, Mr. Bear may come up an' hug you to death, jess fer thefun o' it. "

"I am going to set a bear trap, " said one of the boys, and toldof the plan, which was approved by Jack Dalton. 

Before leaving the next morning the old hunter told them where hethought they could bring down a mink or two, and after his departurethey set off, to see what luck they might have. 

The weather was now getting colder and there was a promise of snowin the air. Yet about ten o'clock the sun broke through the cloudsand then it grew a bit warmer. 

"A little snow will make hunting very fine, " declared Snap, as theytrudged along. "As it is now, it is next to impossible to trackany big game. "

The spot Jack Dalton had mentioned was nearly two miles from theircamp, along a rocky watercourse flowing into a small lake betweenLake Cameron and Firefly Lake. Here, among the rocks, was a favoritehaunt of the mountain brook mink, as they are popularly called. 

As they neared the locality, the young hunters looked to theirweapons and then advanced with caution. The water, gurgling overthe rocks, drowned the sounds of their advance, and so they cameupon the mink without being discovered. 

Two of the animals were in sight, one on either side of the smallstream. As all wanted the honor of bringing down the mink, Shepand Snap fired at one and Whopper and Giant at the other. Theaim of the boy hunters was true, and the game dropped down wherethey stood. 

"Fine mink these, " declared Snap, after an examination. "Just lookat the heavy fur. "

"You are right, " answered Whopper. "But the fur will he thicker yetlater in the season. "

With the mink in their game-bags, they pushed on up the tinywatercourse and not long after roused up some partridge, the gamegoing up with a rush that at first scared them. But they shot asquickly as they could, and each had a partridge to his credit. 

"This day is opening finely, " declared Whopper. "We are bound toget about a hundred birds and animals, I'll wager. "

"That's right, pile it on, " answered Shep, with a grin. "I thoughtyou had been keeping down lately. "

"Oh, a hundred is nothing, " said Whopper, airily. "Maybe I'llget that many myself. I once heard of a man who shot two hundredwild turkeys in a day. "

"I don't call that sport, " put in Giant. "I call that butchery. "

"So do I, " answered Snap. "Even as it is, I sometimes think weare shooting too much. "

"Well, if we don't bring the game down somebody else will, " saidWhopper. 

"Some day they'll have to pass some more laws, protecting game, " wasShep's comment. "If they don't, there won't be anything to shootinside of the next fifteen or twenty years. "

"My father said that some folks were advocating a law to stop alldeer-shooting for two years or longer, " said Shep. "That wouldgive them a chance to multiply. "

"Well, I am going to shoot what I can---now I am out here, " saidWhopper. 

CHAPTER XXIV

HAM SPINK AND THE SKUNK

But the boys' streak of luck came to an end as quickly as it began. Try their best, they could locate no more large game, and had tocontent themselves with a squirrel and a few fair-sized birds. 

"I am getting tired of this, " remarked Shep, after they had trampedacross several hills. "Let us call it off and get back to camp. "

The others were willing, and they turned their footsteps in thedirection of the cabin. Half of the distance was covered whenSnap stopped his companions. 

"Look over on yonder hill, " he said. "Isn't that Ham Spink's crowd?"

"It is; and there is Ham in advance, " answered Whopper. 

"Let us go over and see what they have got, " put in Giant, curiously. 

The curiosity of the others was also excited, and they turned in thedirection Snap had pointed out, and soon came up to one of therival hunters. 

"Hullo!" cried Snap, good-naturedly. "How are you getting along?"

The boy addressed was Dick Bush, and he answered with a scowl. 

"Shot any deer lately?" asked Whopper. 

"No, " was the surly response. 

"Got anything at all?" asked Giant. 

"One rabbit. Have you anything?" went on Dick Bush, also curious. 

"Oh, a few things, " was Snap's careless answer, and he winked athis chums. 

"We have some birds and a squirrel, " said Whopper. 

"Oh, we didn't shoot any birds, " put in Ham Spink, coming up. "Ain't that fine?" and he held up a medium-sized rabbit. 

By this time the whole crowd had surrounded our friends. All therival campers had were two rabbits and a small woodchuck that was ofno account. 

"How do you like these?" said Snap, and showed up the mink and therest of the game. 

At the sight of the game, Ham Spink's eyes opened widely, and theothers from the rival camp showed their astonishment. 

"Where did you get all that game?" asked the leader of the othercamp. 

"Shot it. "

"Not to-day. "

"Yes, to-day, " answered Giant, proudly. 

"Then somebody must have helped you, " said am Spink, enviously. "Maybe Jed Sanborn is around. "

"No; we brought this game down alone. "

"Where did you get the mink?"

"Up that little brook you see yonder. "

"I didn't know there was any mink around here, " came from Carl Dudder. "Guess I'll look for some myself. "

"Well, I wish you luck, " said Snap, pleasantly. 

"Yes, you wish us a pile of luck!" burst out Ham Spink. "I ratherguess you wish we wouldn't bring down a thing!"

"No; I am not so mean, Ham. There is enough for all in these woods. "

"Bah! don't tell me!" snorted the dudish youth, and stalked off, followed by two of his cronies. 

Ham Spink was dressed in as fine a hunting outfit as he couldprocure, and his shotgun was an expensive nickel-plated affair---thekind of a gun some old hunters who know will not have for a gift. 

Ham Spink had just caught sight of a small animal, hidden in thelong grass of a glade but a short distance away. 

"I am going to bring it down, whatever it is!" he cried to DickBush. "Keep back!"

"Ham's found something to shoot at!" cried one of the other boys. 

They all held back, to give their leader a chance to show his ability. Snap and his chums watched curiously. 

"I don't see anything-----" began Giant, and then he burst intoa laugh. "It's a skunk!"

"A skunk?" repeated Shep. "If that's so, Ham had better giveit a wide berth. "

It was indeed a skunk, dark in color and with a bushy tail. Asit moved along in the grass it looked somewhat like a large blackcat. Excited, Ham Spink ran close, took hasty aim and let fire. 

The skunk was hit but not badly wounded. It swished around, andan instant later the dudish young hunter received a stream ofliquid over his cheek and shoulder that almost paralyzed him. 

"Oh! oh! Take it away!" screamed poor Ham. "Oh, dear me!"

"Phw! what a stench!" gasped Dick Bush, falling back a step or two. 

"That's a skunk!" yelled Giant. "Get out of the way---unless youwant your clothing ruined!"

The offensive odor was now so powerful in that vicinity that nearlyall of the young hunters fell hack to another position some distanceaway. In the meantime the skunk ran for the bushes and disappearedfrom view. 

"Oh, dear! Oh, this is---is fearful!" gasped Ham Spink, puttinghis thumb and forefinger to his nose. "Wha-what am I to do?"

"Ham has caught it and no mistake!" whispered Snap. 

"He'll be as sweet as a bag of bone fertilizer after this, " wasShep's comment. 

"You'll be able to smell him ten miles off, " vouchsafed Whopper. "You'll recognize him in the dark with your eyes closed. "

"Hi, you! Don't you make fun of me!" bawled the dudish youth, turning wrathfully on our friends. 

"I hope the shooting was good, Ham, " said Snap, drily. 

"Don't be afraid to bury yourself, Ham, if you feel like it!"added Shep. 

"I---I'll bury you!" stormed the unfortunate youth. "Oh, whata mess!" he groaned. "Dick, what shall I do?"

"I don't know, " was the answer. "Only please keep away from me. The---er---the odor makes me sick, really it does. "

"Huh! I'm sick myself. I didn't know it was a skunk. Why didn'tsomebody warn me?"

"Take off your clothes and bury them, " suggested Giant. "Thatsometimes takes the smell away. "

"Oh, hang the clothes! I'll burn them up!" growled Ham. "Whatshall I do for myself?"

"Wash yourself with carbolic soap, " suggested Shep. 

"I haven't any. "

"Then take a mud bath, " came from Whopper. "After that use commonsoap, and you'll be rid of the worst of it. "

"I suppose you think you've got the laugh on me, " grunted Ham Spink. He was about as angry and helpless as he could be. 

"Oh, we are weeping for you, Ham!" said Shep. "Come on, fellows!"and he started off and soon his friends followed him. 

"Oh, but he does smell prime!" said Whopper, when they were outof bearing. "He'd down a cologne factory in one round!"

"It is certainly awful!" answered Snap. "It was too bad to spoilthat nice suit of clothes. "

"I am thankful that we didn't meet the skunk, " came from Giant. 

"I remember meeting a skunk years ago---when I was a little boy, "said Shep. "I thought it was a cat and wanted to pick it up. I think the skunk was getting ready for me when our dog camealong and scared the thing away. "

Ham Spink was indeed in a sorry plight. The smell was so badthat none of his friends wanted to go near him, and they beggedhim to keep his distance. In anger he stalked back to his camp, and there took off the almost ruined suit and buried it in theground for forty-eight hours, which removed the worst of the odor. Following the advice given, he washed himself in a mud paste, allowing the mud to dry on him at the heat of the fire. Laterhe washed the mud off and used some heavily scented toilet soap, and thus removed the worst of the odor from his person. But itwas a good week before he felt as clean as he had previous tothe encounter with the obnoxious animal. 

CHAPTER XXV

SURROUNDED BY WOLVES

From Jack Dalton the boys had heard of a beautiful silver deer, said to be roaming the woods on the hills back of Firefly Lake, and Whopper and Giant talked a great deal of going after the gameand seeing if they could not lay the deer low. 

"I know we can do it if only we can spot the animal, " said Giant. "And think what a feather it will be in our cap. "

"I am going after that deer, even if the others won't go, " addedWhopper, and so it was finally decided that Whopper and the smallyouth should go in quest of the silver deer, while Snap and Shepremained at the camp, to try their hands at erecting a trap forbeavers and also some traps for birds. It may be added that deepin the woods they had erected a bear-fall and baited the same, but so far no bear had shown himself in that vicinity, althoughthe wolves had stolen the bait on two occasions. 

In order to be prepared for big game, Whopper and Giant took alongone shotgun and the rifle, and also a hunting-knife. One game-bagwas filled with provisions, for they did not know how long theouting would last. 

The boys started off in the best of spirits, taking to a trailthe old hunter had pointed out to them. There had been a flurryof snow during the night, but this was soon melted by the sunwhich, at breakfast time, had come out as brightly as ever. 

"What a beautiful spot this is!" said Giant, gazing back to the lakebefore plunging into the woods. "It is strange that so few folkscome up here to camp. "

"Well, it's lucky for us, " answered Whopper. "We shouldn't care formany---especially of the Andrew Felps kind. "

"Oh, don't mention him, Whopper. It makes me angry to think of him, and I don't want my day's fun spoiled. "

Soon the vicinity of the lake was left behind, and then the boysbegan to climb the first rise of ground. Fortunately, the trail wasgood and they made rapid progress. Arriving at the top of the hill, they gazed around eagerly. 

"Nothing in sight so far, " said Whopper, after a long pause. 

"Well, the day is young yet, " was the hopeful answer. 

Again they went on, and this time scared up several rabbits and alsoseveral animals they could not name, so quickly did they disappearagain. The boys did not fire, however, being determined to donothing to scare the deer away, should the game be within hearing. 

When, about noon, they came to a clear spring of water, they wereglad enough to sit down and rest and partake of their noonday lunch, washing it down with copious draughts of water. 

"Folks can say what they please, " remarked Whopper, smacking his lips. "When one is good and dry, nothing is so satisfying as a drink ofplain, clear water. "

"You're right there, Whopper. How some men can prefer liquor isbeyond my comprehension. "

"They don't know what is good for them, that's why, Giant. "

The boys looked around the spring with care and made out severaltracks which they thought might belong to a deer. These led alongthe trail they were following, and once more the boy hunters movedon, refreshed by the rest and the lunch, and cheered by the hopethat they might soon get a glimpse of the game they were after. 

Less than a quarter of a mile further on they found that the trailcame to an abrupt end in something of a glade at the foot of anotherhill. There had been a landslide during the summer and this hadobliterated the path. 

"Here's a go!" cried Whopper, gazing around in perplexity. "Isuppose old Jack Dalton didn't know about this landslide. "

"We must be careful---if we go on, Whopper. That land may giveway. We don't want to get underground again. "

"Not much! Once was enough. "

They walked along the hill, and at last came to something thatlooked a little like a trail. Then they went forward once more, covering a good mile. The vicinity was full of rocks, and they hadto pick their way with care, for fear of tumbling down into a crevice, or twisting an ankle. 

"This is growing worse, Whopper, " said Giant, coming to a halt forbreath. "I had no idea it was so rough, had you?"

"No. One thing is certain---we are not on the trail. "

"Just what I was thinking. "

"We are getting deeper and deeper into this mess. We'll have toturn back. "

"And without that deer! That's too bad!"

"We may see the deer elsewhere. "

They walked on a hundred feet further, reaching an opening surroundedby rocks on every side. Here was a tall tree, with branches hanginglow to the ground. 

"I'm going up into the tree and look around, " said Whopper. 

He hung his rifle on one of the limbs and began the ascent. Giantdid likewise, and soon the pair were close to the top of the tree. 

By parting the topmost branches they got a fairly good look of thecountry for a long distance on every side. They could see thewaters of Lake Cameron shimmering in one direction, and the watersof Firefly Lake shimmering in another, and they also caughtseveral glimpses of Rocky River, and some other bodies of waterstill further away. 

"Nothing of the deer, " sighed Whopper, after a long look around. 

"Let us make sure, " came from Giant, and swept every point ofthe compass with his sharp eyes. 

"I see something far to the north of here, " he announced. "Butwhat it is I can't make out. "

Whopper looked in the direction, but could see nothing clearly. 

"Something is moving among the bushes, " he said, slowly. "Itmay possibly be a deer, but I doubt it. "

It was rather pleasant in the tree, and they rested near the topfor some time. Then, of a sudden, Whopper started up. 

"What's that, Giant?"

"What's what?"

"That noise below. "

"I don't hear anything. "

"I do, and I am going down to see what is doing. "

Whopper began to descend and the smaller youth followed him. 

"Well, I never!"

"Wolves!"

"Yes, and look at the number!"

The words were true. Under the tree a number of wolves hadcongregated. There were at least twenty-five or thirty of them, andthey were all of good size. 

As soon as they saw the boys they retreated a few feet and then beganto snarl savagely. 

"Say, Whopper, I don't like this, " observed Giant, with a graveshake of his head. 

"I don't like it myself. "

"They don't look extra friendly. "

"Friendly? I guess not. They are mighty savage. "

"I wonder where they came from?"

"I am sure I don't know. Perhaps from over the mountains. Don't youremember Jed Sanborn telling us of the packs of wolves over nearPine Mountain?"

"Yes. "

The two boy hunters had not ventured to the lowest limb of the tree. Now, as Whopper started to step down, one of the wolves, large andsavage, leaped up at him with a vicious snarl. 

"Not to-day!" cried Whopper, and drew himself up again. "I don'twant you to sample my leg!"

"If we only had our guns!" sighed Giant. 

"I wanted to get them, Giant. But I don't know if it will do anygood---there are so many of them. One or two less won't count. "

The wolves now seemed to grow impatient and snapped and snarledloudly as they crowded around the tree and tried to leap up towardsthe boys. They were evidently a hungry lot. 

"I've got an idea!" said Giant, presently. "I am going to cut anotched stick and reach down for the guns with that. "

"Just the thing!" answered his chum. The stick was soon cut, andthen both boys went "Fishing" with it. Both the gun and the riflewere hanging up by straps, and it was an easy matter to catch thenotch under the straps and hoist the weapons up to where the youthsstood. 

"Hurrah! So far so good!" cried Giant. "Now then, we'll give thewolves something that will surprise them. "

"Yes; but don't forget one thing, Giant. The shots will surelyscare the game away from around here, and that will mean good-by tothe silver deer---at least for the present. "

"Well, we have got to do something. "

"I agree on that. "

"I'll take that savage-looking fellow right below us. "

"And I'll fire at the one over yonder. Are you ready?"

There was a pause. 

"Yes. "

"Then fire!"

And the shotgun and the rifle spoke up almost as one piece. 

CHAPTER XXVI

SOMETHING ABOUT TRAPPING

When the smoke cleared away the two boy hunters saw two wolvesstretched upon the ground, dead. The rest of the pack had retreated, yelping and snarling more frightfully than ever. 

"That's the time we did it!" cried Whopper, reloading the rifle, while Giant attended to his shotgun. 

"But it hasn't sent them away, " was the answer of the smaller youth. "Here they come back!"

Giant was right. Sniffing suspiciously, the remaining wolves cameas close to the tree as before. Strange to say, they scarcely paidany attention to those that had been killed. 

"Let us fire again, " said Whopper, and his companion nodded. Oncemore the weapons rang out and again two of the wolves dropped. Thistime the remainder of the pack grew scared and vanished into thebrushwood as if by magic. 

"They have gone!" cried Giant, excitedly. "I thought that wouldmake 'em skip. "

"Don't be so sure about that, " was Whopper's reply. "They may bewatching us from behind the bushes. If they---I see one of themnow!"

"Let us give them another shot!"

Again the weapons were discharged, both boys thinking it greatsport to lay the wolves low. This time two more were hit, butmerely wounded. They ran away yelping with pain, and the balanceof the pack went after them. Looking from the tree, the boy hunterssaw them cross an open space some distance away and then plunge intothe woods of the next hillside. 

"That finished them, " said Whopper, drawing a sigh of relief. "Theyare now thoroughly scared and I don't think they'll dare to come back. "

Nevertheless, the boys remained in the tree for half an hour longer. But the wolves were really gone, and at last they dropped to the ground. 

"This ends hunting for to-day, " remarked Giant. "It's too bad!"

"Well, we shot something, " answered Whopper, grimly, and pointed tothe wolves. 

"What shall we do with them?"

"Leave them here. But no, let us take the smallest along. The meatwill make good bait for the traps. "

After that there was nothing to do but to start back for the camp, and this they did without further delay. It was a hard walk and theyoften stopped to rest. On the way they were fortunate enough to stirup some partridge and brought down three, and also got two rabbits. 

"Well, we'll not go back empty-handed, after all, " said Whopper. 

It was long past dark when they came in sight of the camp-fire, whichSnap and Shep were keeping burning brightly on purpose, so that itmight light their way. 

"Here they come!" cried Snap, and ran forward to meet them. "What'sthis? A wolf, I declare! Then you didn't find the silver deer?"

"We didn't get a chance, " said Giant, and then he and Whopper toldtheir story. 

"You can be thankful that you escaped from those wolves, " said Snap. 

"I thought wolves didn't attack folks excepting in the dead ofwinter, when they couldn't get anything to eat, " remarked Shep. 

"That is usually the case, " answered Snap. "But once in a whilethey do as they did to-day---when there is a large pack of them. "

Snap and Shep had made their traps and had some success at fishing, having caught four pike of fair size and also several catfish. 

That night came a fall of snow, which covered the ground to thedepth of several inches. In the morning it was so cold they wereglad enough to hug the fire until nearly noon. 

In the afternoon Whopper went out on the lake and soon came backwith news. 

"What do you think?" he called out. "The Spink crowd is leaving!"

"Breaking up camp?" queried Giant. 

"Yes; they are loading everything in their boat. "

This announcement produced a mild sensation, and after a consultation, Snap and his chums decided to row across the lake and watch proceedings. 

Ham Spink and his cronies were indeed leaving, and in far froma good humor. None of them was a good shot and they did not possessthe patience necessary to become good hunters or fishermen. As aconsequence they had brought down very little game and caught onlya few fish. Their stock of provisions brought from home wasrunning low, and each boy in the camp had voted the outing a failure. 

"Going to leave us?" called out Snap, as he and his friends restedon their oars a short distance from the rival camp. 

"Yes, " was Ham Spink's surly response. 

"What's the matter? Don't you like the hunting here?" asked Whopper. 

"Oh, don't be so inquisitive!" came from Dick Bush. "I guess youare glad enough to see us go. "

"Not at all, " said Giant. "You are welcome to stay, so long asyou don't interfere with our doings. "

"We don't think much of this place, " grunted Ham Spink. "It may begood enough in the middle of summer, but not now, when winter iscoming on. "

"Are you going right home, Ham?" asked Snap. 

"What business is that of yours?"

"I thought if you were, you might sell us what stores you have leftover. "

"We have nothing to sell to you, " was the cold reply. 

"We might make a trade, " put in Shep. "We have got some plumppartridge and rabbits to spare. "

"Humph! Are you saying that just to tease us?"

"Not at all. Here are the rabbits and the partridge, too, " and thedoctor's son held them up. 

Now, as it happened, Ham Spink and his cronies were very anxiousto take some game home, but had nothing but one rabbit and a littlesquirrel. They gazed longingly at the plump game Shep exhibited. 

"Let us take them, " whispered Dick Bush. "Nobody will know how wegot them. "

At this Ham Spink's eyes brightened. He was not above telling anuntruth when he felt like it. 

"What will you take for what you have?" he called out. 

"What have you got?"

The rival campers looked over such provisions as they had left, andenumerated the articles---sugar, cocoa, flour, some canned goods, and some preserves. Snap and his chums went ashore and investigated. 

"We'll trade even, " said Snap at last, after talking with hischums. "But on one condition. "

"What is that?"

"That you take some letters home for us and deliver them as soonas you arrive. "

"All right, we'll do that, " said Carl Dudder. 

The trade was made on the spot, and the letters written; and on thefollowing morning Ham Spink and his cronies left the vicinity ofFirefly Lake. It was the last our friends saw of the dudish youthand his friends for some time to come. 

"I think he feels sick all over, " remarked Shep, after the othercrowd had departed. 

"He certainly isn't in high spirits, " commented Snap. 

"I'll wager a new cap against a balloon that they tell everybody intown they shot those partridge and the rabbits, " came from Giant. 

"Sure thing!" exclaimed Whopper. "And they'll say they shot abouta thousand other things besides. I know 'em. They can all blowto beat the band when they want to. "

On the following Monday it was clear and cool, and the boys setout to look at their beaver traps, of which three had been placedin position. To their delight, two of the traps held beavers;and to their astonishment, the third trap held a muskrat. 

"Hullo! here is something I wasn't looking for!" cried Snap. "He's a fine haul, " he added, looking the muskrat over. 

"And the beavers are fine, too, " added Shep. "Boys, I think wecan count ourselves lucky and no mistake. "

"Let us set the traps again, " said Whopper, who was excited overthe haul. This was done, and the boy hunters returned to theircamp well pleased at what they had caught. 

"I wish we'd get something in the bear trap, " said Giant. Thesmall youth had set his heart on getting a bear before it shouldbe time to return home. 

On the day following, Shep and Giant went out after nuts and weregone the best part of the day. When they returned to the camp theywere both excited and wanted to see Snap without delay. 

"What's it all about?" asked the leader of the gun club. 

"We may be mistaken, " answered Shep, "but we think we have madea discovery of importance. "

"What kind of a discovery?"

"We think we have located the man who set fire to the sawmilland ran away with those documents!" answered Giant. 

CHAPTER XXVII

THE DESERTED COTTAGE

Giant's announcement filled Snap with keen interest, and he wantedto know at once all Shep and the small youth could tell. 

"We went directly up the lake, " said Giant. "Took the road aroundthe rocks that Jed Sanborn showed us. We found the nut trees, and----"

"Never mind the nut trees, " interrupted Snap. "Tell me aboutthat man. "

"Well, back of the trees is a cleared spot---maybe it was a farmsome years ago, and in the midst of the clearing is an old, half-tumbled-down cottage. We walked over to the cottage and lookedin at the window. "

"And we saw a man sitting on a box with a barrel before him, "put in Shep. "On the barrel he had a board and on the board werespread some papers that the man was looking over. The man wastall and thin, and had red hair and a short, red moustache"

"That tallies with the man who stole the money and the papers!"cried Snap, excitedly. "Did he limp, too?"

"Slightly, with his left foot. "

"He must be our man. But what is he doing around here?"

"I don't know, " answered Shep. "As soon as he saw us he jumpedup and put the papers in his pocket. "

"What did you do?" asked Whopper. 

"He asked us what we wanted, and Shep told him we were out nutting, "said Giant. "Then he asked us who we were. "

"Did you tell him?"

"We did, " said Shep; "and then we asked him who he was, but he putus off. He said he was out tramping the mountains for his health. "

"Did he seem to be staying at the cottage?"

"Yes; at least he had a bag full of provisions with him, and agun, too. "

"Was he alone?"

"He seemed to be. "

"Did you see the documents he had, closely?"

"Not very, " said Giant. "But we saw something of a map on oneof them. "

"One of the stolen papers was a map of that lumber tract, " saidSnap, thoughtfully. "Boys, if that is the rascal who set fireto the sawmill we ought to capture him, " he continued. 

"That's the talk!" cried Whopper. "But we want to be sure ofwhat we are doing. It won't do to arrest the wrong man. "

"If we could only get a look at those papers, " said Shep, "theywould surely tell the tale. "

"Did he look like a guilty man?" went on Snap. 

"He acted scared when he saw us, and he got the papers out of sightin a jiffy. And he is certainly tall and thin, and has a redmoustache and red hair. "

"Well, that fits the rascal who is wanted, pretty closely. "

"It's queer that he'd come to a place like this, " was Whopper'scomment. 

"Maybe he thinks it is best to keep in hiding, at least for thepresent. "

"But why doesn't he go elsewhere?"

"He may be afraid to show himself in town, or at a railroad station. "

The matter was talked over for an hour, and then it was decided tovisit the old cottage as early as possible on the following morning. 

"And let us take our guns, " declared Snap. "And we'll take a rope, too---in case we have to tie him up. "

The boys could scarcely sleep that night, so excited were they overthe prospect ahead. All of them were up at dawn and procuredbreakfast as quickly as they could. Then the game-bags were filledwith provisions, the guns were overhauled, and Snap got the rope hehad mentioned. 

"Now I guess we are ready, " said Shep. 

"Wait till I kick out the fire, " said Whopper. "Don't want theplace to burn up while we are away. "

The fire extinguished, they set off on their journey and were soona goodly distance from the lake. The snow had disappeared and theday promised to be an unusually warm one. They did not look forany game, and when a rabbit crossed their path nobody shot at it. 

"We are after other game to-day, " observed Snap, grimly. 

"If only we have the same success as we had when we caught thatnigger, " came from Whopper. "That was dead easy. "

"I don't think we'll catch him asleep, " said Shep. "He is a wide-awakefellow, if nothing else. "

On and on they went, covering several miles. They passed the treesthat were loaded with nuts, but did not stop, and soon came in sightof the clearing. 

"Now go slow, " cautioned Snap. "If he sees us from a distance hemay take it into his head to run away. "

"Maybe one or two of us had better go forward and investigate, "suggested Giant. 

This was thought a good plan, and Snap and Shep went forward, slowlyand cautiously, until they gained the very edge of the clearing. 

"I see smoke coming out of the chimney, " said Snap. "That wouldseem to show he is still there. "

The door to the old cottage was tightly closed, and growing bolder, the two young hunters walked to it and knocked loudly. 

"See that he doesn't slip out the other way, " whispered Snap tohis chum, and Shep at once ran around to the other side of thebuilding. 

As there was no answer to the summons, Snap knocked on the doora second time. Still there was no response. 

"Guess I'll go in, " he murmured, and pushed the door open. 

The apartment beyond was the living-room of the old cottage anda glance showed him a smouldering fire in the fireplace. Nobodywas visible. 

From the kitchen the boy hunter went into the room beyond and thenran upstairs. 

"See anybody?" called Shep, as Snap showed himself at a broken-outwindow. 

"No. Call the others. "

Shep did as requested, and soon all of the young hunters weremaking an investigation of the premises. 

"He must have gone away this morning, " said Giant. "See how thefire is still burning. "

"I wish I knew where he had gone to, " said Snap, with a long sigh. 

"Perhaps we can find out if we search closely. "

In the cottage they found the remains of some meals the strangerhad had, and also some scraps of paper, including an envelopeaddressed to Lusher Barrock. 

"I wonder if that is his name?" said Snap. 

"More than likely, " answered Giant. "Did you ever hear of him before?"

"No. "

They tried to put the pieces of paper together, but the effort wasa failure. 

"Here is where he did some figuring, " said Whopper, pointing tothe board, which contained numerous pencil marks. "Maybe---hullo!look here!"

"What's up now?" asked Snap, running forward. 

"Here is the name of Andrew Felps!"

"Felps!" came from all of the others in a chorus. 

"Can that man have been here?" asked Giant. 

"I must say, I don't understand this, " came from Snap. "But Ihave got an idea. "

"What is it, Snap?"

"Of course I may be all wrong, but I'll give it to you for what itis worth. Do you remember what my father said about those papers?"

"That they related to a certain patch of timber land?" said Giant. 

"Yes; and that the Felps people wanted to get hold of the patch. Well, this Lusher Barrock may be hanging around here trying to sellthe papers. "

"To sell them?" said Shep, looking puzzled. 

"Exactly. They are of no use to him, but they might be of useto Andrew Felps and his lumber company. "

"You mean that by getting the papers Felps might keep your folksfrom cutting down the lumber on that tract?"

"Yes, and more. Felps may have some way of getting hold of theland himself, if these papers are destroyed. I don't know thewhole truth of the case, but I know my father wanted the papersand he didn't want Andrew Felps to learn that they were missing. "

"Snap, I think you have struck the truth, " ejaculated Shep. "I don'tknow of anything else that would bring this Barrock---if that's hisname---to this locality. He must be watching his chance to meetAndrew Felps. "

"Would Felps be mean enough to buy the papers from him?" askedWhopper. "Why, that would be dishonest!"

"I think that man is mean enough for anything!" burst out Giant, who was not inclined to forget how badly he and his chums had beentreated by the individual in question. 

"If this is true, Snap, the best thing we can do is to go over tothe Felps camp and watch out for this Lusher Barrock, " said Shep. 

"And that is what I am going to do, " answered Snap. 

"When will you go?" questioned Whopper. 

"As soon as possible. "

"We can't get to the camp very well from here. We'll have to goback to Firefly Lake first. "

"Do you suppose this Barrock went that way?"

"Maybe he did, or else he knows of some trail over the mountain. "

"Well, we can go back to the lake, and then start for Lake Cameronwithout delay, " said Snap, and so it was settled. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE BOY HUNTERS AND A BEAR

The boys stopped to get dinner and then hurried back to the cabinwith all possible speed. 

"This has been a long tramp for nothing, " was Giant's comment, as they trudged along. 

"Oh, I don't think so!" answered Whopper. "I think we have learneda good deal. "

On the way back they could not resist the temptation to shootwhat game came in their way and thus brought down several rabbits, a squirrel, four quail, and two wild ducks that chanced to showthemselves near the end of the lake. 

As they neared the cabin they had to pass the bear trap that hadbeen set so many days. They heard a peculiar grunting. 

"Listen!" cried Snap, coming to a halt. "What is that?"

"I am sure I don't know, " said Shep. "Sounds like some beastin pain. "

"Maybe it is something in the trap!" cried Giant, and moved forwardon a run, before anybody could stop him. 

As Giant drew in sight of the trap something caught his eyes thatbrought him stock still in wonder. 

There, fast in the trap, lay a small bear, and close at hand wasanother bear, evidently trying to get the prisoner free!

"Look out there, Giant!" sang out Snap, as he, too, saw the situation. 

"Two bears, by all that is lucky!" ejaculated Whopper. 

At the sounds of the boys' voices the free bear turned swiftly. Evidently he was in a rage, and for a good reason, for the bear inthe trap was his mate. 

"He is coming for you!" cried Shep. What he said was true; the bearwas indeed coming for Giant. He stood up on his hind legs andconfronted the young hunter. A moment more and his powerful pawmust have knocked Giant down and perhaps have killed the lad. 

But Snap had somewhat recovered from his astonishment, and raisinghis shotgun quickly, he pulled the trigger. 

The dose of shot took the bear in the side of the face and stunghim so bitterly that he fell back a few steps. But this was onlyfor the moment. Soon he gathered himself once more and then turnedupon Snap. 

"Shoot him!" cried the young leader of the gun club and a second latercame the crack of the rifle that Shep carried. The bullet piercedthe bear's side and he rolled over and over in pain. 

"Good for you, Shep!" sang out Snap. "Shoot him again, somebody!"

For an answer, both Whopper and Giant fired their shotguns andthe bear received both charges in his rump. Again he rolled overand over, uttering a roar that could be heard for a long distance. He tried to arise and did so once, dragging himself toward Whopper, who lost no time in retreating. 

By this time Snap was ready for another shot, and growing bolder, he watched his chance, ran in and let the bear have the buckshotdirectly between the eyes. Then Shep took a second shot also, hittingBruin in the throat. This was too much for the bear, and with aquiver and a gasp he sank in a heap, and a moment later breathedhis last. 

"Is he---he dead?" gasped Giant, after the bear had been quiet fora full minute. 

"I think so, " answered Snap. "But don't go near him yet---he may beplaying a trick on us. "

"I am not going near him. "

"The bear in the trap is alive!" called out Whopper, who had justmade an examination. 

All lost no time in reloading their weapons, and then they peeredinto the trap. The bear under the logs and stones gave a grunt ofpain and rage. 

"I'll fix her, " said Snap, and, drawing close, let drive at the bear'shead. It was a telling shot, and soon the bear stretched out, andthen the battle with the two creatures came to an end. 

"What a magnificent haul!" cried Giant, after they were certain bothbears were dead. 

"I wonder what Ham Spink and his crowd would say to this?" camefrom Snap. 

"They wouldn't believe it unless they saw it, " returned Whopper. "Boys, do you know what I think? I think we ought to take thosebears home. "

"Just what I think, too, " said Giant. "I want my mother to see them. "

"Well, I am willing, " answered Snap. "But I think we ought to visitLake Cameron first and see if we can't find this Lusher Barrock. "

"We can stop at Lake Cameron on the way, " answered Whopper. 

It was late in the day already, and by the time they had draggedthe bears to camp it was night. As they sat around the camp-firethey talked matters over and decided to break camp the very nextday. They had had about all the hunting they wished for the present, and getting the two bears "topped matters off, " as Snap put it. 

The bears were loaded into the boat and anchored out in the lake, and then the boys got supper and went to bed. Snap was soon asleepand so were Giant and Shep, and all slept soundly until aboutmidnight, when the leader of the club awoke a start. 

"Hullo! what's up now?" he called out, and this cry aroused Shepand Giant. 

"What is it, Snap?"

"Where is Whopper?"

"I don't know where he is, " answered Snap. "Listen!"

The three did so, and from a distance heard a groan and then athrashing around in the bushes back of the cabin. 

"Something is wrong, that is sure!" gasped Giant. "Whopper must bein trouble!"

"Come on and see, " returned Snap, and catching up his gun he ranfrom the shelter. Shep and Giant were not slow in following. 

When they got outside all had become quiet again, and they knew notin what direction to turn. There was no moon, but the stars shonelike so many diamonds in the heavens. 

"Where is he?" asked Shep, after a breathless pause. 

"I don't know, " answered Snap. "Hullo, Whopper!" he called out. 

There was no reply to his shout and he moved into the bushescautiously, with the others at his heels. Then, of a sudden, hecame upon Whopper, who stood by a bush tugging away manfully. 

"Get back!" murmured Whopper. "Get back, you beast! Say, fellows, this is the worst bear of the lot! Down he goes! That makes fourbears for yours truly!"

"I know what's the matter!" shouted Snap, lowering his gun. "Hehas got the nightmare. "

"Yes, and got it bad, too, " put in Giant. "My! see him hustle withthe bush!"

"Shall we wake him up?" asked Shep. 

"No---it may not be good for him, " answered Snap. 

"Oh, I am going to wake him up!" came from Giant, and before theothers could stop him he ran forward and caught Whopper by thearm. "Wake up, Whopper!" he called. "Wake up, old man! You'vegot 'em bad!"

At first Whopper paid no attention. "Then his struggles with the bushceased and he opened his eyes and stared about him in bewilderment. 

"Wh-what is the matter? Wh-where am I?" he stammered, gazing aroundstupidly. 

"You've been asleep and dreaming, " explained Snap. "You thought youwere after a bear. "

"So I was---after a dozen bears. Did I---I kill any?"

"There are no bears here. You were only dreaming. "

"Oh!" Whopper rubbed his eyes. "No bears at all?"

"None but what we shot yesterday. You went to sleep and the nextthing we knew you were out here, pulling at this bush. "

"Where am I?"

"Back of the cabin, " put in Shep. "You had better go to bed again. "

"And please don't dream of any more bears, " added Giant, with a grin. 

Whopper scratched his head in perplexity. 

"Funny how I got here! I don't understand it at all. Oh, but say, I was having the fight of my life!"

"I should say so, " answered Snap, looking around. "You must havepulled up those three bushes yonder. Getting strong in your sleep. "

"I am glad he didn't dream I was a bear, " remarked Shep. "Therewouldn't have been anything left of me by the time he woke up!"

"I know how it was, " said Whopper, as the full truth dawned onhim. "I ate a very hearty supper last night, and when I wentto bed my head was full of those two bears we brought down. Thatgave me the nightmare. "

"Then, after this, we'll have to send you to bed supperless, " saidSnap. 

"Not much!" cried Whopper. 

CHAPTER XXIX

A STRANGE MEETING IN THE FOREST

Despite Whopper's nightmare and what had followed, the boy huntersslept soundly for the rest of the night. All arose at daybreak andprocured what was destined to be their last meal in the camp forthat season. 

"I rather hate to leave the spot, " said Snap, while packing away thebreakfast things. "We have had some good fun here. "

"We must come back some time, by all means, " declared Shep. "Maybethis winter. "

"Yes, some hunting up here in mid-winter wouldn't go bad, " camefrom Giant. "We could bring snowshoes along and have jolly times. "

"That's the talk!" ejaculated Whopper. "I have always wanted to gohunting on snowshoes, And we could build a big snowhouse, too. "

"Well, that is something to talk over another time, " put in Snap. "Remember, just now we want to locate that mill robber if we can, and also get those bears home. "

It took quite some time to pack all of the things aboard the rowboat, and the craft was heavily loaded with the outfit and the game. 

"Will it carry us, too?" questioned Shep, as he looked at the boatdubiously. 

"It has got to carry us, " declared Whopper. "But it will be ratherhard rowing. "

All tried the boat and found it would carry them, although thegunwale sank low into the water. Then they cleaned up the camp, shut up the cabin, and were all ready for the start. 

"Good-by to the camp!" cried Giant, lifting his cap. 

"And hurrah for the first outing of our gun club!" added Snap. Andthey gave the cheers with a will. 

Snap and Whopper took the oars first, and the course was out ofFirefly Lake and through the narrow watercourse running into LakeCameron. It was a cool, clear day, with a stiff breeze stirringthe bushes and trees of the forest. 

"I see some turkeys!" cried Shep, while on the way. "I must havea last shot!"

"And so must I!" came from the others. 

All caught up their guns, and as the boat drifted closer to the game, each let drive. Two of the turkeys were killed outright, while twomore were badly wounded and easily secured. 

"One each!" said Giant. 

"Exactly, " answered Snap. "And now we have got to stop or we'llsink the boat sure. "

"Well, enough is enough, " said Whopper. "I think, all told, we havehad the best luck possible. "

"Even if we didn't get a silver deer. "

"That's so---I forgot about that deer. Well, he will keep foranother time, eh, fellows?"

"That's right. "

It was shortly after noon that they turned into Lake Cameron andlanded near the mouth of that body of water. All were hungry, andpartook readily of the lunch that had been brought along. 

"Now, what's the next part of the programme?" asked Giant, lookingat Snap. 

"I don't think it will be advisable for us to show ourselves tothe Felps crowd, " answered the leader of the gun club. 

"Oh, let us do a little scout work!" said Whopper. "We can easilyhide the boat and get around to the camp on foot. "

The matter was talked over while they ate their mid-day meal, and atthe conclusion of the repast they shoved the rowboat with its loadinto a cove and under some overhanging brushwood. Then, taking onlytheir guns and game-bags and some provisions, they set off for theirfirst camping spot on foot. 

"We must be on our guard, " cautioned Snap. 

"I do not want any of those men to see us if it can possibly beavoided. "

"We'll watch out, " answered Shep. 

A minute later half a dozen fat rabbits crossed their path directlyin front of them. The temptation to bring the game down was strong, but they resisted, not wishing to make any noise. A little laterthey heard two gunshots at a distance. 

"Some of the men must be out hunting, " observed Giant. 

"Gracious! I hope they don't mistake us for game, " cried Whopper. 

"Let us walk more in the open, " answered Snap. "Then they can'tmake any mistake. "

The way was rocky and uneven, and long before they came in sightof their first camp the boys were somewhat footsore and weary. 

"This isn't the nicest kind of tramping in the world, is it?"came from Shep. 

"Don't say a word, " answered Giant. "I just came within an inchof twisting my left ankle. "

They had a small brook to cross and there stopped for a drinkof water. They were just going on again when another distantgunshot sounded out. 

"They must be doing a lot of hunting to-day, " observed Snap. "I'dlike to know if they can bring anything down. "

"Not if what that old guide said was true, " answered Shep. 

They advanced a few yards further, when Shep suddenly halted andmade his chums do the same. 

"What's up now?" whispered Whopper. "See a bear?"

"Whopper has bears on the brain, " came from Giant, with a grin. 

"I see two men over back of yonder rocks, " answered Snap. "Theyseem to be doing some hard talking. "

"Who are they?"

"One of them is Andrew Felps. "

"And the other?"

"I don't know who he is. "

"He is the man we are after!" cried Whopper "Don't you see hisred hair and red moustache?"

"Let us go around the rocks and get closer in that way, " saidSnap, and his suggestion was followed out promptly. 

"Well, what do you want of me, anyway, Barrock?" they heard AndrewFelps say to the man with the red hair. 

"I want to talk business, " answered Lush Barrock, as he was commonlycalled. 

"Well, get to business, then, " went on the lumber merchant. "Iam not going to stay here all day. You said you had somethingto say that would interest me. "

"It's true, too, Mr. Felps. "

"Well, out with it, then. "

Lush Barrock paused and cleared his throat. Evidently he didnot know exactly how to go about what he had in mind to do. 

"I reckon you know the Barnaby lumber folks, " he began. 

"Yes, " was the short answer. 

"They have been trying to get hold of a certain lumber tract upat the Spur Road. "

"What of that?"

"I understand your company has been trying to get hold of the sametract of land. "

"What business is that of yours?"

"None of my business---in one way---but a good deal of my businessin another way. "

"I don't understand you, Barrock. Stop talking in riddles and getdown to business. "

"Can I trust you, Mr. Felps? I mean, will you keep a secret?"

"That depends, " answered Andrew Felps, coldly. 

"I want to help you so that you can get the best of the Barnabypeople. "

"How can you help me?"

"I'll tell you if you'll promise to keep the matter a secret. "

"Hum!" The lumber merchant paused for a moment. "Well, go on. "

"You won't give me away?"

"No. "

"Well, when they got their right to that Spur Road tract certainpapers had to be signed. "

"I know that. "

"Then they had a fire at their sawmill. "

"I know that, too. "

"During that fire those papers disappeared. "

"Ha!" cried Andrew Felps, with interest. "You are certain of that?"

"I am. "

"And you---you-----" The lumber dealer paused. 

"In a roundabout way I met the fellow who had the papers. Fora consideration he let me have them. If you want them you canhave them---provided you will pay the price. "

CHAPTER XXX

WORDS AND A BLOW

The boy hunters had listened to the foregoing conversation withintense interest. There could be no doubt but what this Barrock wasthe man they were after. His tale that he had procured the missingpapers from somebody else was pure fiction---gotten up merely todeceive Andrew Felps. 

"We ought to make him a prisoner on the spot, " whispered Shep. 

"Wait---I want to learn what Andrew Felps will do, " murmured Snap. 

"You want me to buy the papers from you, eh?" said Andrew Felps, after a pause. 

"Yes, " answered Lush Barrock, boldly. 

"Don't you know that you have no right to the documents?"

"Oh, I don't want you to preach to me, Andy Felps. If you wantthe papers, say so. If not-----"

"If not, what?"

"Maybe I'll return them to the Barnaby folks. I understand Mr. Dodgeoffered a reward for them. "

"What do you want for the papers?" asked Andrew Felps, cautiously. 

"They ought to be worth several thousand dollars, but you canhave them for one thousand dollars. "

"Nonsense, Barrock! What would I do with the papers?"

"Destroy them. "

"What, after giving you a thousand dollars for them?"

Lush Barrock nodded. "It's this way, Felps, " he said. "If youget this contract out of the way I am sure you can make anothercontract---for your own company. The Spur Road folks feel sore, and I know you can fix matters up with old Haley, who is a miser, and willing to do almost anything for money. "

"Have you the papers with you?"

"Do you want to buy them?"

"I want to see what I am getting, first. "

Lusher Barrock made a movement as if to take something from hisbreast-pocket. 

Just at that moment heavy footsteps sounded out directly behind thefour boy hunters, and two men belonging to the Felps crowd appearedupon the scene. 

"Hullo! What are you youngsters doing here?" demanded one ofthe men. 

"We---we came over on business, " stammered Snap. He hardly knewwhat to say, the meeting was such an unexpected one. 

"Who is there?" cried out Andrew Felps, and ran around the edgeof the rocks. "What, you! Where did you come from?"

Andrew Felps was followed by Lush Barrock. When the fellow who hadrobbed the sawmill saw Snap and his chums he was almost struck dumb. 

"See here, " began Andrew Felps, his face growing dark, "what doyou-----"

"Stop him!" yelled Snap, and pointed to Lush Barrock, who hadsuddenly taken to his heels. "Stop him, somebody!"

Snap made a dash after the robber, and was followed by his threechums. Barrock was a good runner, and soon disappeared into thebushes. 

"We must catch him!" panted Snap. "We must not let him get away!"

He went on after Lush Barrock with all speed. The course wasthrough the bushes and over some rocks. Then, of a sudden, avoice sounded out ahead:

"Stop, all of you! If you don't, I'll fire!"

"Oh, Snap, do you think he will fire at us?" gasped Giant, andcame to a halt, followed by the rest. 

"If you fire, so will we!" sang out Snap, and brought around hisshotgun. But no answer came back, and now Lush Barrock was bothout of sight and hearing. 

Yet the boy hunters did not give up the chase. They followedthe trail as best they could to a brook, but there lost it inthe water. Then they hunted around for a good quarter of an hour, but without avail. 

"Too bad!" groaned Snap. "Oh, how I wish I had put my hands onthat rascal!"

"He is certainly a bad one, " was Whopper's comment. 

"Yes, and Andrew Felps is almost as bad, " said Shep. "He wouldhave bought those papers. "

They retraced their steps toward the lake, and soon met AndrewFelps and his companions. 

"Did you catch him?" asked the lumber dealer, nervously. 

"No, " was Snap's short answer. 

"Do you know him?" went on Andrew Felps, curiously. 

"I know him to be the man who robbed the sawmill and set the placeon fire. "

"Is that so?"

Andrew Felps put on an appearance of great surprise. 

"Don't you know it, too?" said Snap, bluntly. 

"Me? Of course not. Why---er---if I knew he was that kind ofa man-----" Andrew Felps broke off short. "Were you listeningto our talk?"

"We were, " put in Whopper. "We heard every word, too. "

"Ahem! Well, I---er---that is, I was only sounding the fellow, "said the lumber dealer, lamely. 

To this Snap did not say anything, although Andrew Felps lookedat him inquiringly. 

"You don't suppose I was going to have anything to do with him?"demanded Andrew Felps, after a pause. 

"Yes, I do, " said Snap, bluntly. 

"Bah! Nonsense! If he had shown those papers I should have takenthem away from him. "

"To keep?"

"No; to return to their rightful owners. "

To this Snap made no reply. Andrew Felps was clearly disconcerted. 

"Evidently you don't believe me, boy. "

Still Snap was silent. 

"See here, do you expect to make trouble for me on this account?"pursued the lumber dealer, growing angry. 

"I shall tell the truth, that's all, " said Snap. 

"I see! You'll try to make it appear that I am in with this---thisfellow!" snorted the lumber dealer. "Well, just you take care, or you may get into trouble!"

"If I get into trouble I guess I'll know how to take care of myself, "returned Snap, stoutly. 

He had scarcely uttered the words when Andrew Felps caught himroughly by the shoulder. 

"Boy, take care how you talk to me!"

"Let go of me!" exclaimed Snap, with flashing eyes. "Let go, I say!" And he jerked himself away. "Don't you dare lay yourhands upon me again, Andrew Felps!"

"Ha! you imp!" snarled the lumber dealer, and caught hold ofSnap once more. This time the boy tried to free himself, butin vain. 

"If you don't let go, I'll strike you!" he panted, and the nextmoment he struck out, landing a hard blow on the lumber dealer'snose. The latter was so amazed he fell back and released his hold. 

"Oh, my nose!" groaned the man. "You young scoundrel! I'll-----"

At that moment came a cry of alarm from a distance. 

"Hullo! hullo! Come this way! The woods are on fire! We'llbe burnt out before we know it!"

CHAPTER XXXI

THE FOREST FIRE---CONCLUSION

The cry was such an unexpected one that for the moment every one whoheard it was dumfounded. The men stared at each other and so didthe boys. Then all looked up and saw a thick mass of smoke rollingover the forest. The wind was blowing briskly, and soon the smokebegan to envelop the entire crowd. 

"Say, fellows, we must get out of here!" exclaimed Shep. "Wecan't stay, or we'll be burnt up!"

"That's the truth, " put in Giant. "Let us get back to our boat. "

"To the camp!" came from Andrew Felps, and ran off, followed bythe other men. 

"Shall we go after them?" asked Snap. 

"What good will it do?" said Shep. "They can get out on the lakein their boat---if the fire gets too strong for them. "

"The wind is blowing it directly to the lake, " said Whopper. "My, but it has gained headway!" he added, looking around. 

The smoke was growing thicker, and already they could see the sparksfloating overhead. From a distance they heard a wild cry, but couldnot make out what it was. 

Turning around, they started for the spot where they had left theirboat. 

In their mad rush to gain the craft, they did not notice that theygot off the trail until they were halted by a mass of brushwoodon all sides of them. 

"This can't be right!" panted Giant. "I didn't notice this before. "

"We have made some mistake!" ejaculated Shep. "Maybe we are goingaway from the lake!"

They gazed around. The smoke was growing thicker, and now a fewburning brands fell close by. 

"One thing is certain, we can't stay here!" came from Snap. "Let usgo straight downhill. That will bring us to water sooner or later. "

This was considered good advice and all acted on it without delay. The smoke was now so thick they could scarcely see in any direction. The light of the sun was obscure, making it as dark as if it wasnight. 

"Here is a little stream!" called out Giant, presently. "Thismust run into the lake!"

All stepped into the brook and followed it for several hundred feet. Then Snap called a halt. 

"Here is our lost trail!"

"Snap is right, " said Shep. "Come on, the boat cannot be far off. "

Once more they went on, the smoke growing so thick they had to crouchdown to get their breath. The tears were streaming from their eyes, and Whopper let out a yell as a burning brand floated down on hisneck, raising a blister. 

"Here is the boat, thank fortune!" said Snap, a minute later. 

How they tumbled into the craft they scarcely knew. The painterwas cut and they shoved off into the lake, just as a fierce gustof wind sent a cloud of smoke and a shower of sparks down upon them. 

"Phew! but that was a narrow escape!" muttered Shep, when the shorehad been left behind and they could catch their breath. 

"We are not out of danger yet!" said Snap. "This fire may be worsethan we think. If it takes in the whole lake district, we'll behemmed in on all sides. "

"Look!" exclaimed Giant. "Am I mistaken, or is a storm coming up?"and he pointed to the sky. 

"Those are certainly clouds, not smoke, " said Whopper. "Oh, I hopeit does rain and puts out the fire. I shouldn't like to see thisfine forest destroyed. "

"Nor I, " added Snap. 

"If it is burned down it will be Mr. Felps's loss, " came from Giant. "He said he had bought the district up, you'll remember. "

As they pulled along, well away from the shore, they suddenly hearda mad cry for aid. 

"What's that?" asked Snap. 

"A man on shore!" ejaculated Whopper. "See him---over on yonderrocks!"

"It is that Barrock!" said Shep. 

"Help me!" came from the man, who was waving his arms wildly. "Takeme off, or I'll be burnt up!"

"Let us row to him, " said Snap. 

The rowboat was turned in toward shore without delay. In themeantime, to escape the smoke and burning brands, Lusher Barrockrushed into the lake up to his knees. 

"Save me!" he bawled again. "I can't swim!"

"We'll save you!" answered Snap. "But see here, Barrock, " he added, suddenly. 

"What?"

"You will have to give us those documents you took from the sawmill. "

"I---I---ain't got them. "

"Well, then, we'll leave you where you are, " said Snap, just to testthe rascal. 

"No! no! I---I'll give you the papers!"

"Very well, then. "

The craft came alongside of the robber and he was helped on board. He was badly scared and trembling from head to foot. A burningbrand had come down on his left ear, singeing that member and alsohis fiery red hair. 

"Now give me those papers, " demanded Snap, and without waitingthrust his hand into the man's pocket and drew them forth. "Haveyou the money, too?"

"I---I-----"

"Hand it over or we'll search you. "

"I've got three hundred dollars, " said Lush Barrock, lamely. "Ispent about fifty dollars. "

The money was handed over to Snap, and he placed it and the papersin an inner pocket of his jacket. Then the robber was orderedto sit at the bow of the boat and not move, and a pistol he carriedwas taken from him. 

It was not long after this that it began to rain. At first thedownfall was not great, but presently there was a perfect delugeand then the boy hunters knew that the danger from the forest firewas over. Looking up the lake they saw Andrew Felps and his partyin their launch, unharmed. The camp of the lumber dealer, however, had been burned out clean and clear, along with all of the provisions. 

"That's what he gets for taking our cabin from us, " was Giant'scomment. 

Not wishing to meet the lumber dealer again, now that they hadmade Lush Barrock a prisoner, Snap directed his chums to row outof the lake and on to the river. The boys pulled a good strokeand, despite the load on board the craft, made fair progress. 

"This fire will worry the folks at home, " said Shep. "I am glad wemade up our minds to break camp. "

"Yes, " answered Whopper. "Everything happened for the best, afterall. "

The boat was still some miles from Fairview when they saw anothercraft approaching. It contained Mr. Dodge and Jed Sanborn. 

"Safe, are you?" sang out Mr. Dodge, as he drew near. "We wereafraid that forest fire would do you some harm. "

"We had a pretty close shave of it, father, " answered Snap. 

"We've got a prisoner for you, Mr. Dodge, " sang out Shep, somewhatproudly. "Here is the rascal who set fire to the sawmill. "

"Is it possible!" cried Mr. Dodge. 

"That fire was an---an accident, " grumbled Lusher Barrock. "Alla mistake. "

"I've got the documents he took, and three hundred dollars ofthe money, " said Snap. 

"Well! well! This is famous, boys!" said Mr. Dodge. 

"My sakes alive, look at the bears!" called out Jed Sanborn, asGiant pulled aside the canvas that lay over the game. "Who shot'em?"

"We shot one and caught the other in the trap, " answered Giant. "Don't you think we did pretty well for boys?"

"Well for boys? Why, men couldn't do any better. You're the bestboy hunters anywhere!"

The prisoner was transferred to the boat containing Mr. Dodgeand Jed Sanborn, and Snap gave to his parent the money and thedocuments that had been recovered. Then both boats headed forFairview, which was reached at nightfall. 

Great was the surprise of the town folks when it was learned thatthe man who had set fire to the sawmill had been captured. Hewas put in jail, and later on tried and sent to prison for a termof years. 

There was another surprise when it was noised about that the boyhunters had laid low not only several deer and a good deal ofsmall game, but also two fair-sized bears. The bears were placedon public exhibition at one of the stores and many came to lookat them. 

Ham Spink and his cronies were intensely jealous, but did not dareto give vent to their feelings. Snap and his chums took no noticeof the dudish youth and his followers. 

"We have the best of it, and they know it, " said Snap. 

"Boys, we must go out again, this winter, " said Shep. "Come, what do you say?"

All agreed instantly, and how they went out, and what good timesthey had will be told in another volume of this series, to becalled, "_Guns and Snowshoes; or, The Winter Outing of the BoyHunters_. " The best hunting is often to be had when there is snowon the ground, and my readers can rest assured that the four boyhunters made the most of their opportunities. 

A while after the boys got home, it was learned that Andrew Felpshad escaped with his party, unharmed, but all had lost practicallyeverything they had taken along but the launch. The forest hadbeen much damaged, especially that tract which the Felps LumberCompany had purchased for cutting purposes, so the lumber merchantwas out in more ways than one. Nothing was said to him aboutthe talk he had had with Lusher Barrock, and he himself was afraidto open his mouth about it, and soon the incident was practicallyforgotten. The Barnaby Company went to work at the Spur Road tractand nobody attempted to stop them. 

"Boys, we had a dandy time, didn't we?" said Snap, one evening afterhe had had his fill of venison steak. 

"We had the best time ever!" said Shep. "May we have many more likeit!"

"Just wait till this winter!" cried Whopper. 

"I am going to kill sixteen deer, twenty bears, two hundred wildturkeys, and about a thousand rab-----"

"Draw it mild, Whopper!" ejaculated Giant. "Wait till the time comes, and then do your best. "

And Whopper did wait, and so did the rest, and here let us leave themand say good-by.