They brought the boat up on the sand and placed their things in the shelter of some bushes and rocks, covering everything with the canvas. It was growing late again and there was nothing to do but to try fishing once more and cook the wild turkey. Snap used a fly this time, and brought up a fine lake trout, of which he was justly proud. Up the shore Shep saw some rabbits, and went after them with his shotgun, bringing down a pair that promised good eating.
"How fast the time goes up here!" exclaimed Giant. "Why, it doesn't seem two hours since we got up!"
"That proves that we are enjoying ourselves," answered Snap. "The time 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 under the trees, not far from their camp-fire. All was very quiet, not even 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. Nothing unusual was to be seen anywhere.
"Snap must have been dreaming," grunted Whopper. "I guess he ate too much supper last night."
After a look around, the boys went to sleep again, and nobody got up until after seven o'clock. Then Giant began to stir around among the 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 of a visitor did we have?"
"A four-legged one," answered Giant. "He rooted among our stores for something to eat."
"Some animal!" ejaculated Whopper. "It's a wonder he didn't try to 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 the visitor 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, and a 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 headlong in his flight.
"Hi! hi! Save me!" roared the fallen one. "Don't—-don't let the 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 there is no bear?"
"Not here. But there may have been one last night."
"Snap Dodge, you ought to be—-be hung, drawn and quartered, and tarred and feathered in the bargain," said Whopper, severely. "it's an outrage to—-to——-"
"Let it drop, Whopper. Seriously, though, some wild animal has been here and eaten up part of our stores. The question is, could it have been a bear?"
"Let us look around for tracks," put in Giant, and got down on his hands and knees. The others began the hunt also, and soon they came upon some large tracks, leading deep into the woods and up the rocks beyond.
"It was certainly a bear," said Snap, and now his voice had something of seriousness in it. "Boys, I must say I don't like this."
"No more do I," answered Shep. "Why, that bear might have killed us 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 me up and then ran away. I certainly heard something or felt something."
"This is enough to give one the creeps," was Whopper's comment. "I don't want to sleep where there are bears to crawl over one."
"Somebody will have to remain on guard after this until we get some 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 hunter from the West was telling me of the kind some Indians make. You take some logs and build a sort of raft of them and place it on the ground where the bear is likely to come. You raise one corner of the raft up and fix a couple of sticks under it, each fastened to another stick with a strong cord. On the cord you fasten the bait, 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 only way he can get under the logs and stones is by dropping down on his side. He works his way in, pulls on the bait, and down come the logs and stones on top of him holding him fast and most likely killing 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 as possible on the shelter, only a few hours were spent in hunting and fishing. But their luck was good and long before noon they had 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 let us 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 height of about eight feet, but once this was done cabin building began in earnest, and by nightfall they had a rude roof over the posts and had the back logged up to a height of four feet. The next day they went at the task at sunrise, finishing the back and putting in the two sides, one with a slit of a window, over which they nailed some slats, so that nothing of size might get through.
"Now this begins to look like something," declared Shep. "I am afraid 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 confessed that the young hunters were quite proud of their work. They made a sort of mud plaster and with this filled up the chinks between the logs, and the roof they thatched with bark, so as to keep out the rain. The floor they covered with pine boughs, piling the boughs high up at the back for a big couch upon which all might rest at night. They also made a split-log bench and a rude table, from which they might eat when the weather drove them indoors. But they were not equal to building a chimney, and so continued to do their cooking outdoors.
It was well that they hurried their cabin, for the day after it was completed a heavy and cold rain set in, lasting forty-eight hours. Fortunately they had a fair supply of fish and game on hand, so nobody had to go forth while the elements raged. They built a camp-fire close to the doorway of the cabin—-under a sort of piazza top, and there took turns at cooking, and made themselves as comfortable as possible.
"This isn't so pleasant," said Whopper, as he gazed out at the rain. "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 now these pastimes came in very handy. They had checkers and dominos, and a new card game that was just then "all the rage." When night came they turned in early and slept soundly, the fear of the bear no longer troubling them.
The second week passed and they spent a quiet Sunday in camp. They were fortunate in their hunting and brought in large quantities of small game. Shep brought down a silver-tailed fox, of which he was very proud, and Whopper laid low the biggest rabbit they had yet seen. One day Giant and Snap went out for partridge and brought in three, all of fair size. They had also come across the track of some deer, and hoped to get on the trail of big game in the near future.
But Tuesday morning brought a disagreeable surprise. They were just 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 an automobile approaching," answered Shep. "But of course it can't be that."
"It's a gasolene launch," declared Snap. "There she is now!" and he pointed to an outlying spur of land, around which the craft was puffing.
The launch was a craft fully forty feet long and correspondingly broad of beam. She was piled high with an outfit for camping, and in the boat were six men, two of whom were evidently camp helpers and guides.
"I believe those men are coming here!" declared Shep, as the launch turned 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 directly in front of the camp, and there the power was turned off and one of the men prepared to leap ashore.
"Hullo!" ejaculated a man in the stern of the launch, gazing ashore at the cabin. "What in thunder does this mean?"
No one answered him, and a moment later the bow of the launch scraped the sand and one after another the men leaped out. The boat was tied up and the men approached the young hunters.
"I say, what does this mean?" demanded the man who had spoken before. He was a burly individual, with a heavy black moustache and closecut beard. The look out of his eye was far from a pleasant one.
"What does what mean?" returned Snap, as coolly as he could, yet he 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 got to 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 you know 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 remembered that the man named was the head of the lumber company with which the Barnaby Lumber Company had had its dispute over the Spur Road tract. Snap's father had had several interviews with Mr. Andrew Felps, 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 place as 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?" went on 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 Sheppard Reed, and I am the son of Dr. Reed of Fairview. This is Frank Dawson, and the boy out in the boat is Will Caslette. We all belong at Fairview. As Snap—-I mean Charley—-says, we came to camp out. We have always understood that this was a free camping-out place. 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 fence put 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 and my friends picked this very spot over two weeks ago. I am going to have a first-class cabin built here shortly. You boys had no right to 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 can pack up!"
At this announcement the hearts of the boys fell instantly. All thought of the labor they had put on the cabin and the surroundings.
"This is too bad!" cried Whopper. "See here, Mr. Felps, can't we stay 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 lost his temper.
"You are more than mean!" he cried. "We have worked hard to fit up this spot, as you can see. But your meanness is nothing but what I should expect from one who would act as you did about that Spur 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 get out 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 rushing forward he kicked at the campfire with his foot and sent one of the frying-pans whirling into the bushes.
"I wouldn't be so hard on the youngsters, Andy," said one of the men, in a low tone.
"Oh, I know them, Sam," was Andrew Felps's answer. "That Dodge's father has been trying to get the best of me for years. Do you suppose I am going to give his cub any leeway? Not much!"
Some bitter words followed between the boys and the unreasonable timber dealer, and then the young hunters began to pack up and put 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 Snap began 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 boiling with 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 young hunters 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 timber dealer, and would have grabbed up a gun from his launch had not one of his companions prevented the move.
"Here, you might as well keep this while you are at it!" cried Shep, and hurled a dead rabbit ashore. The game was unusually "ripe" and caught Andrew Felps directly across the face. The man staggered back, stumbled over a log and sat down directly in the midst of the scattered campfire!
"Hi! Help! I am burning up!"
"Gracious, boys, look at that!" burst from Snap's lips. "He got more 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 coat was on fire and so was one leg of his trousers.
"Dive into the lake, Andy!" called out one of the men, and hurried the unfortunate individual toward the water. There seemed no help for it, and the timber dealer rushed into the icy water, giving a shiver as he did so; and then the danger was over.
"Come, we had better get out of here!" cried Whopper, in a low voice. "He'll be as mad as a thousand hornets now, and ready to chew us up into mincemeat!"
All of the boys were at the oars and without delay, they began to pull a strong stroke.
"Come back here, you young rascals!" cried one of the men of the party. "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 look at 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 if we find another to equal it."
"It won't do any good if we do—-on this lake," said Snap. "Andrew Felps will not let us stay here if he has purchased the property—-as he says he has. I am afraid it is all due to me that we have got to move 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 a cemetery lot."
While talking, the boys continued to row steadily, and soon a point 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's comment. "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, I am not going home, boys. But one thing is certain, we can't stay at Lake Cameron."
"Let us try our luck at Firefly Lake," suggested Whopper. "That isn't as large as this lake, but it is certainly a nice sheet of water. And the hunting around there ought to be just as good as around here."
The others said they were willing, and a little later they made their way out of Lake Cameron and sent the rowboat along the rocky watercourse in the direction of Firefly Lake. It was now past noon, 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 hurt him a bit to have let us stay there."
"I hope he has no luck at hunting," grumbled Giant. "He deserves to 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 going there 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 narrow and swiftly flowing river they were now on, and the young hunters had to give all their attention to the task. Once or twice they struck the rocks rather sharp blows, but no damage was done, for which they were thankful.
"One thing is certain," said Snap, when a wider part of the watercourse was gained. "That gasolene launch can never follow us to this lake. 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 Lake Cameron," put in Giant. "That was one of his favorite hunting and fishing places."
They had to go so slow through some portions of the stream that it was nightfall by the time Firefly Lake was reached. It was clouding 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 make the best of it."
It was almost impossible in the fast gathering darkness to distinguish one part of the shore from another, and they did not know where to land. Seeing a small cove, they made for it, and pulled the rowboat up among some bushes. Then they gathered some firewood, started a blaze, and set about getting a meal which should be a dinner 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 did much toward restoring good humor. Yet the boys felt sore over the way Andrew Felps had treated them, and for this they could not be blamed.
"To-morrow we'll have to locate all over again," said Snap. "And if 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 natural shelter," suggested Shep—-"some cave, or overhanging rocks, or something 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. "We ought 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 here made themselves as comfortable as possible. They covered the stores 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 the first two hours of the night.
When Giant called Snap to relieve him it was already raining and the wind was rising. The fire had died down and they did not dare to stir it up for fear the wind would carry the sparks into the forest and cause a general conflagration.
"I guess we are in for it," declared Snap, as he peered around in the darkness. "Just listen to the wind rising!"
Giant retired, leaving the leader of the tour on guard. Snap walked around for a bit, but then had to seek the shelter of the trees 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!" The rain had come through the tree branches directly down upon his upturned face.
In a few minutes more all of the boys arose, as the wind was now sending the rain in all directions. The tree limbs bent low and threatened to break at every instant.
"Phew!" cried Whopper. "There goes my cap!" And he made a dash after the whirling headgear, catching it just as it was sailing for the lake.
A moment later came a gust of wind that almost lifted them from their feet. The trees of the forest were bent lower than ever, and amid the whistling of the tornado came a crack like that of a big pistol.
"Look out for the tree-top!" yelled Shep, and pulled Snap to one side. All jumped into the open and were just in time to escape about ten feet of the top of the tree, which sailed through the air and bit the lake surface with a loud splash. Then down came half 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 barrel of water in my shoes and another barrel down my neck!"
"I am going to see if the stores are safe," came from Shep, and he hurried for the boat, followed by Snap. They found that the canvas had torn from its fastenings and was flapping wildly in the wind. The rain had soaked almost everything.
"This is certainly serious," said Snap, as he did his best, assisted by the others, to pull the canvas into place once more and fasten it 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 followed the others to the boat.
They could do nothing to make themselves comfortable, and so had to simply grin and bear it, which they did with the best grace possible. They were afraid to remain under the trees for fear of getting struck by some falling branch.
"Wonder how long this is going to last?" came from Whopper, an hour later. "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 to tear 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!"
The wind was making such a noise that little more could be said, and as the tornado increased all of the boys threw themselves on the ground, between a number of low bushes close to the lake shore. The rain was coming down in veritable sheets and the water was running into the lake in hundreds of rivulets.
"There goes something!" screamed Giant, as he caught sight of an object whirling over their heads. "Looked like a sail."
"It was the boat canvas," answered Whopper. "Maybe the boat will go 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 alarmed the young hunters in the extreme. They could do nothing to save either themselves or their stores, and wondered what the morning would bring forth. More than one imagined that that was the last of the outing and they would have to return home.
But by daybreak the storm let up and the wind gradually died down to nothing but a gentle breeze. At eight o'clock the sun broke from under the scattering clouds and then all heaved a long sigh of relief.
"I never want to put in such a night again," said Shep. "I was afraid 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 have a climb to get it again!"
"I'll go after it later on," said Snap. "The first thing to do is to build a big fire and get dry, otherwise we'll all catch our deaths of cold."
It was no easy matter to find wood dry enough to burn, but once a blaze was started they found branches enough to pile on. They shed the 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, to which they added some condensed milk and water-soaked sugar. They also got some fish from the lake, and the entire morning was devoted to "drying out" and getting a substantial meal.
"One comfort," remarked Shep, "we'll not want for firewood while we are here."
"I shouldn't be surprised if we can pick up quite some dead birds and small animals," said Snap. "You generally can after such a storm as this."
After a good meal they felt somewhat better and took a survey of the situation. Then they brought out their stores and set them to dry on some stones in front of the camp-fire. A few articles had been rendered valueless and these they threw away. Late in the afternoon Shep and Giant went fishing, while Snap and Whopper walked for a short 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 fine woodpecker. A thrush and two other birds they could not place followed, and then they ran across a fallen tree under which lay two squirrels.
"This is hunting of a new kind," said Whopper. "Poor chaps!" he went on, looking at the squirrels. "I suppose that storm ripped your home completely to pieces!"
"Wait! I see a good shot!" cried Snap, a few minutes later, and raising his gun took careful aim. The report of the fowling-piece was followed by a wild fluttering and then two partridges dropped down, each seriously wounded. The boys dashed forward, caught the game and quickly put them out of their misery.
"There, we have done enough for to-day," said Snap, but Whopper blazed away, nevertheless, and brought down a rabbit that chanced to be limping across a clearing, having had a paw broken by the storm.
With their game in their bags, the boys started back for the lake front. They were almost to the camping spot when a wild cry of alarm 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, followed by his companion. When they came to the clearing they found Shep standing up in the rowboat, gesticulating wildly. Giant was in the water and moving at a fairly rapid pace toward the centre of 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 poor Giant toward the shore, some distance above the camp. Snap and Whopper hurried in the direction, and as the little youth managed to get a footing near the beach they ran in up to their ankles and dragged him to safety. Then all three began to haul in on the fishing 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 the shore, and even then it flopped around in a manner that scared them a little. The maskalonge was dark gray in color with small black spots, and measured all of four feet and a half from head to tail.
"My, but he is a whopper!" cried Shep, as he ran the boat ashore and surveyed the haul. "No wonder he yanked Giant overboard."
"Giant, you can be proud of such a haul," said Snap. "I guess he'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 we haven'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 small youth. "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 fair size, so they were assured of enough to eat for several days.
"The best thing we can do to-morrow is to find a suitable camping spot and build a shelter," said Snap. "We don't want to be caught out in the open again."
The canvas at the tree-top was secured, and that night they slept between some bushes with this over them to keep off the night air. Each of the young hunters took his turn at watching, but nothing came to disturb them, although Whopper declared that he heard several foxes not far off.
"I thought they were going to pay us a visit, but when they were about two hundred feet away they took a turn and that was the last I heard of them."
On the following morning the young hunters were in the act of embarking in their rowboat, for a tour around the shore of Firefly Lake, when Shep pointed out a small canoe coming swiftly toward them. In the craft sat a man of middle age, with thick hair and a 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 little hunting or fishing on his own account."
Jed Sanborn was a character well known to the people of the district surrounding the lakes. He was a hunter and trapper and had been all his life. He was a bachelor, with no known relatives, and lived in a 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 shot and a good-humored individual.
"Hullo, Jed, where are you bound?" sang out Snap, as the hunter drew closer in his canoe.
"Thought I'd find you up here, boys," was the answer. "Have a good 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 to find 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 bumped alongside of the rowboat with his canoe "He told me I couldn't hunt or fish around that lake either."
"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 Jed Sanborn. "Hullo! Where under the canopy did you git that big maskalonge?" he cried, catching sight of the fish.
"Giant caught it," answered Whopper. "But he was pulled overboard doing it."
"And they had to help me land him," added the small youth, but rather proudly.
"Well, well! this beats the Dutch! Why, I never caught such a fish but once in my whole life in these parts although I've hooked 'em on the St. Lawrence. It's something to be proud of, lad. You're as good 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 to go over to Sand Rock on business and I was delayed. I went up to Lake Cameron, and I almost had a fight with Andrew Felps. He wanted to take away a mink I had caught in a trap. But I wouldn't give it up." And Jed Sanborn pointed to where the mink lay, in the bottom of his 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 better see 'em both an' then take your pick."
"All right, we'll do that," came from Shep. "Will you show us the 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 on them, fearing the information would not be to their liking. He was not to interfere with any of their movements unless he that they were running into positive danger.
In a few minutes more the rowboat and the canoe were on the way up the western shore of Firefly Lake. It promised to be a perfect day, with just sufficient coolness to make it exhilarating. In the 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 right in 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 rather inviting, but there was one drawback—-they would have to go quite a distance for spring water.
"Now I'll show you another spot which may prove better," said the hunter.
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 in these parts, so I always thought."
They lost no time in going ashore, running the rowboat up into a tiny cove, 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 of trees 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," explained the hunter. "I built that shack fer 'em. You can use it until you put up something better—-that is, if you decide to stay here."
"Let us stay by all means!" cried Shep, gazing around. "It's a beautiful 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 remain at the spot. This being settled upon, they brought their stores ashore and placed them in the shack, so that no further rain could get 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 midnight visitor.
"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 some baked maskalonge, Jed Sanborn showing them how to turn out the fish in a manner that was appetizing to the last degree. Shep also made some biscuits, which, if they were not first-class, were far from what boys usually call "sinkers."
"I hope nobody comes to disturb us here," said Snap. "I think if we are left alone we'll have the time of our lives."
While they ate they discussed the question of putting up another cabin. Giant was very eager to go ahead and so was Whopper—-both loving the work fully as much as they loved hunting and fishing.
"All right, we'll build a cabin," said Snap. "But first we must get together something to eat, as we did before."
That afternoon all went out hunting with Jed Sanborn and he showed them where to find a good supply of rabbits, and took them to a hollow among the hills where the partridges were thick. All fired at once, and as a consequence they got eight of the game. Their rabbits numbered sixteen, and they also brought down three squirrels. Coming back to the camp, Jed Sanborn took a long shot at some wild ducks that were flying overhead and brought down two, which he added to their stock.
"Now, do a little fishing, and you'll have enough to eat fer a week," 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 hunter made for them a trap to catch birds, another for mink and also a beaver trap.
"When I come ag'in I'll bring you something to put in the beaver trap," said the hunter. "It's a stuff we call barkstone. The beavers can't resist it nohow. As soon as they smell it they have to walk right into the trap after it." He referred to castoreum, a liquid obtained from the beaver, or castor, itself and having a powerful odor which acts on the animal just as catnip acts on a cat.
The weather had now turned off colder and they were glad to huddle close to the camp-fire at night. Before going to bed the hunter told the boys a bear story that all pronounced a "rattler."
The building of the new cabin began in earnest the next day, and Jed Sanborn told them how it might be put together to the best advantage, and even aided in cutting down some of the necessary logs.
"I've got to go back to town to-morrow," he said. "But I'll come back 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, with the aid of the others. Jed Sanborn left the next day at noon; and it was some time before they saw him again.
"And now to get at this cabin in earnest," said Shep, after the departure of the hunter.
Jed Sanborn had shown them how they might pile up some rocks for a rude chimney, banking up the lower part outside with dirt, and this they finished first. Then the top was put on the new structure and the sides, one end having a small door and the other an even smaller window. The flooring was of hard dirt, with cedar boughs in two corners for couches. In the shack they found a rude bench and a table, and these they transferred to the cabin. When they tried their new fireplace they found it worked well, the smoke going up the rude chimney without difficulty.
"Now, this is something like!" declared Giant, as he surveyed the work. "Even in a storm we can be quite comfortable here."
"Providing the roof doesn't leak," declared Shep. "When it rains we must watch for leaks and try to stop them up—-with bark or with the canvas."
For several days after the cabin was finished, the boys rested from their labors and took it easy. An unusually warm spell followed the short cold snap and one day, at noon, all took a dip in the lake. But the water was so cold they remained in only a few minutes and all were glad enough to hurry back into their clothing.
"A cold bath like that goes a good ways," declared Shep. "If a fellow stayed in too long he'd freeze to death."
"Why, my back is full of icicles now!" declared Whopper. "Feels as if I had gotten locked in a refrigerator by mistake."
"Like the tramp they caught at Westport last summer," came from Giant, with a laugh. "He stole a ride on the cars and got into a refrigerator car by mistake. The car was packed with ice and wasn't opened for forty-eight hours after it started. The poor tramp was about half dead when they got him out."
Early on the following Friday morning, Shep and Snap went out on a hunt, leaving Whopper and Giant to look after the camp and fish, 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 moved away. "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 the north of Firefly Lake, taking to an old deer trail that Jed Sanborn had pointed out to them. They were after any game that might appear, but did not look for anything big, for the older hunter had informed them that it would be next to impossible to spot any deer until the snow was on the ground.
Each youth carried his shotgun and his gamebag, containing his dinner, and also a good supply of ammunition.
The boys walked a good half mile before they saw any indications of game. Then Snap called a halt and pointed to a little clearing. Looking through some brushwood, Shep made out half a dozen wild turkeys, 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. At the word the two shotguns rang out, and to the delight of the two young hunters down came three of the wild turkeys. The rest flew 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 coming for you!"
His warning proved true, and before Snap could retreat the wounded wild turkey had flown directly into his face and was cracking the boy with its strong wings.
"Get away! Oh, dear!" sang out poor Shep, and tried to beat the wounded creature off, but the wild turkey was full of fight and renewed the attack with vigor.
"I'll fix him! Down with your hands!" ejaculated Snap, and, rushing in, he hit the turkey with the stock of his gun. The creature fell to the ground and before it could arise Snap had his foot on it; and then the little battle came to an end, and soon all three 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," answered his 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 small hill and then through the hollow beyond. But though they kept on until noon nothing further worth shooting at presented itself.
Sitting down in the sun, the boys ate their lunch and took a drink from a tiny brook flowing into the lake. Then they tramped onward once more for another mile.
"Humph! This sort of hunting doesn't amount to anything," grumbled Snap. "If we hadn't run across those turkeys we should have been skunked."
"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 to the lake. If we don't see anything we can come back here."
So it was agreed, and a minute later they separated. Shep took to rather a rough path and more than once felt that he would have to turn 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 have spotted something. I must do as well."
A hundred feet further on he came to an old and wide-spreading tree. On the branches he discovered two squirrels of good size. Without delay he blazed away, and when the smoke drifted away saw that both of the creatures were stone dead. They had not dropped 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 his gun and his game bag. A limb was handy and he swung himself up into the 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 the trunk was hollow. Just as he reached out to take hold of one of the squirrels, his foot slipped and he began to slide down into the hollow. He clutched at the smooth wood, but could not stay his progress, and like a flash he disappeared from the sunlight into almost utter darkness!
Unfortunately for the young hunter, the tree was hollow to its very roots, and he went to the bottom, reaching it with a jolt that made his teeth crack together. His hands were above him and 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 sunlight from overhead, although he could see dimly after his eyes became somewhat accustomed to the semi-gloom.
Shep waited to get back his breath, and then started to feel around for something by which he might raise himself. Not a projection of any sort was at hand.
"How in the world am I to get out of this?" was the question which he asked himself.
He could not answer the riddle, and the cold perspiration stood out on his forehead. Was it possible that he must remain a prisoner in the tree forever?
"I've got to get out somehow!" he told himself, desperately. "I must get 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 later slipped down again.
It must be confessed that Shep was now thoroughly alarmed, and he trembled a little as he thought of the possible outcome of this unlookedfor adventure. Perhaps he would have to remain there until he died of hunger and thirst. Long afterwards his friends might 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 up a distance of a foot and a half. But that seemed to be the limit and, 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 a long struggle managed to get at his jack-knife. But cutting in the position he occupied was a slow process, and made his hand ache long before he had even a hole through which he might peer.
At last he gave up the attempt and stood still, not knowing what to do next. He felt that he was as good as buried alive. What was to be the outcome of this perilous adventure?
Snap had fairly good luck while on the hunt. He shot half a dozen rabbits 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 better go back and get him to come this way."
With his game in his bag and over his shoulder, he retraced his steps to where he had separated from Shep and began to call his chum. Not getting any answer, he started after the other young hunter.
"He must have gone back," he mused, coming to a halt when he was within 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 have waited 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 with some 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. "I thought he went out with you."
"So he did; but we separated, and I thought he came home, as I couldn'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 the camp for an hour, waiting for Shep to return. Then they prepared dinner, 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 a signal long before agreed upon—-two shots in rapid succession. They waited impatiently, but no answering shots came back.
"Let us go out and look for him," said Giant. "Perhaps he has fallen 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 care of 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 had separated. Then they took to the trail Shep had followed, until they came to a bit of a clearing.
"Oh my! look there!" ejaculated Giant, suddenly. "Come back of the bushes, quick, before they see you!"
Having hauled his companions behind the bushes, he pointed to a 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, if we could only get at 'em!"
"I think I understand now," came from Snap. "Shep must have gone after those deer."
"Like as not—-and he didn't answer our signal for fear of scaring them," 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. Snap thought he saw a path leading around the lake end, and proposed they 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 toward bringing some of 'em down."
The others were willing enough to go after the deer, and away they went, pushing through the brushwood and over the rocks, in an 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 the young hunter let out a cry of alarm:
"A snake! A rattlesnake!"
He was right, the rattlesnake was there, and in order to get out of the way of the reptile they rushed pell-mell into the woods until they suddenly found themselves in a swamp over their ankles. They kept on until they reached higher ground and then paused in the midst of some tall brushwood.
"That was certainly a scare!" gasped Giant. "I don't want any rattlesnakes 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, with a grin. "But he was bad enough, I admit," he continued. "If he hadn't been I shouldn't have legged it as I did."
"Don't forget that we are out after the deer," said Giant, after the excitement had somewhat died away. "What direction is the game, anyway?"
They looked around them and then for the first time noticed that they were surrounded by tall trees, which all but shut out the sunlight. Then the sun went under a cloud, making it quite dark.
"Come on, this is the way," said Whopper, and the others followed him without question, but they seemed to get deeper and deeper into the forest, and at last came to a halt close to the base of 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 tangle of undergrowth from which it was almost impossible to extricate themselves. Then they came out at a point that was all but surrounded by big rocks. It was now so dark they could scarcely see in any direction.
"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. "We start out to find Shep and end up by getting lost. If he is back in camp he will have the laugh on us."
"This means good-by to the deer," said Giant. "But I don't care—-if only 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 locate their camp, although they saw Firefly Lake at a distance to the south of them. The sun was setting behind a bank of clouds and soon it grew positively black beneath the trees.
It must be admitted that the young hunters felt in anything but a cheerful frame of mind. Giant suggested that there might be more rattlesnakes at hand, and this made all nervous and on constant guard against reptiles.