"That man is going to take another shot!" cried Shep as he saw a gun raised.
"And there goes the lion!" cried Snap as the form of the animal arose swiftly in the air. With grace and precision the lord of the animal world cleared the back fence of the yard and crouched down in the street, close to a tree.
"He's heading this way!" burst out the doctor's son. "Maybe we had better get indoors."
"Oh, he can't leap up here," insisted Giant, who was brave, even though small.
"We'll take no chances," was Shep's answer. "Come."
He turned to the window, and so did Snap and Whopper. At that minute one of the men came around the corner of the street. The lion leaped from behind the tree into the roadway. Pulling up his gun, the man banged away wildly, for he was nervous and frightened.
"Oh!" came in a groan from Giant, and his chums saw him stagger.
"What is it?" asked Snap quickly. But instead of answering the small youth staggered around the piazza top.
"Giant is shot!" gasped Whopper. "Catch him! He is falling off the roof!"
Snap made a quick leap forward and caught Giant around the waist. Both were now on the slanting portion of the piazza roof. Snap did what he could to stay their progress, but it was in vain, and the next instant both boys slipped down over the edge. Snap clutched at a honeysuckle vine growing there, but it gave way, and a moment later the two boys rolled to the ground.
It was well that that honeysuckle vine was growing there and that it gave way slowly after Snap grasped it, for otherwise the two boys might have suffered some broken bones. As it was, Snap bumped his shoulder severely and scraped his ear on the sand of the path that ran around the side of the house.
Poor Giant was unconscious, and even in that perilous moment Snap realized that his little chum had been hit by some of the shot from the gun. Whether the lad was dangerously wounded or not remained to be seen.
The two boys had fallen inside the dooryard, which was separated from the street by a low fence. Hardly did they land when Snap scrambled up, dragging Giant with him.
"The front door! The front door!" yelled Shep from above. "We'll let you in!" And then he leaped through the window and tore down the stairs four steps at a time, with Whopper at his heels.
As Snap turned and looked out into the street he saw a sight calculated to daunt the stoutest heart. The lion was there, standing erect, with bristling mane, glaring fiercely at him.
"Get away!" the boy yelled, not knowing what else to do. "Get away!" And then he picked up a whitewashed stone, one of a number bordering the garden path. With all his might he threw it at the lion and caught the beast in the head. The animal turned, slunk along the fence, and disappeared behind a tree in front of the next house.
The moment the animal turned away, Snap moved toward the piazza. He had Giant in one of his arms, and in his excitement did not notice the weight of his burden. As he ascended the steps the door was flung open and Shep appeared. Then Whopper showed himself, armed with an umbrella he had snatched from the hall rack.
"Where's the lion?" asked the doctor's son.
"Behind the tree!" gasped Snap, and then he literally fell into the hallway with Giant still in his arm. At once the door was closed and locked again.
"Was Giant shot?" queried Whopper, as he threw down the umbrella.
"Yes," answered Snap. "Make a light," he added, for the hallway was in total darkness.
Mrs. Carson was still upstairs, while the hired girl in her fright had fled to the garret, so the boys had to stumble around until Shep found a match and lit the lamp. Whopper and Snap carried Giant into the sitting-room and placed him on a sofa. As they did this the small youth opened his eyes and stared around wildly.
"The lion! Don't let him eat me!" he muttered.
"You're safe, Giant," answered the doctor's son.
"I—-I got shot!"
"We know it. Let us see if you are badly hurt." On several occasions, in cases of accident, Shep had aided his father in caring for patients, and the knowledge thus gained now stood him in good stead. He made a close examination and found that several buckshot had grazed the small youth's temple, while one had gone through the tip of the ear. Giant's face was covered with blood, and this was washed off, and then his wounds were bathed with witch hazel and bound up.
"You had a narrow escape," was the comment of the doctor's son. "A little closer and you might have been killed, or might have lost your eyesight."
"That fellow with the gun was mighty careless," said Whopper.
"He was excited," added Snap. "He didn't want to hit Giant."
Snap said nothing about his hurt shoulder, although the bump he had received made him stiff and sore. He was thankful that the honeysuckle vine had broken the fall from the piazza roof, and that he and Giant had escaped from the clutches of the lion.
The hunters of the animal had gone past the house, and now those inside heard firing in the distance. The shots gradually grew fainter and fainter, at last dying out altogether.
"I guess his lionship has left town," said Shep.
"Or else he is dead," added Snap.
Mrs. Carson was much worried over the wounds Giant had received and insisted upon putting on them some salve. The boy declared he felt all right again and that the wounds would soon heal.
"I'm used to little things like that," he said. "When we went hunting we had all sorts of things happen to us."
"Mercy on us! Then you ought never to go hunting again!" declared the lady of the house.
"It was a narrow escape," said Snap gravely. "You can be thankful that man didn't blow your head off.
"I am thankful, Snap; and I am also thankful for what you did for me," murmured Giant, and looked at his chum in a manner that spoke volumes.
It was now too late to think of going to Fairview, for the last train had already departed. And as it was, Mrs. Carson insisted upon it that the boys remain all night.
"If you leave the house I'll be worried to death, thinking the lion caught you," she said.
So the boys stayed over another night. Late in the evening they stopped two men who were passing the house and from them learned that the lion had been chased to the edge of a big woods north of Railings. He had been wounded, of that the men were certain, and a regular hunting party was going out in the morning to either kill or capture the beast.
"The circus owner has offered a hundred dollars reward for his capture," said one of the men "So they'll get him alive if they can."
"Did any other lions escape?" asked the doctor's son.
"No; but one of the big monkeys is missing—-the educated one."
"Do you mean Abe, the educated chimpanzee?" queried Snap.
"That's the fellow—-the one who eats, drinks, smokes and does all sorts of stunts. He's missing, and the circus men are more worried over him than over the lion. One man said the chim—-what-do-you-call-him was worth a thousand dollars."
"I believe that—-being educated to do so many things," said Whopper."He sat up to a table to eat just like a man."
"Did you hear how the lion and the chimpanzee happened to get away?" asked Giant.
"Why, there was a report it was the fault of four rascals who used to work for the circus—-three men who were discharged for getting drunk, and a boy who did stunts on the trapeze and ran away."
"That boy!" cried Snap. "Oh, I don't think he had anything to do with it."
"Well, that's what the circus men say. If they catch the men and the boy they'll have the whole crowd locked up."
"I am sure the boy is innocent," said the doctor's son.
"I got shot by somebody hunting that lion," said Giant. "Do you know who fired his shotgun out yonder?"
"Oh, that was Hank Donaldson. He's always blowing about what he can do with a gun, and he was so worked up and nervous he killed Mack's dog and smashed the plate-glass window in the new five-and-ten-cent store. He got scared to death when somebody told him a boy over here fell from the roof and got hit. Is it bad?"
"No, but it might have been."
"You ought to pitch into Hank. He ought to know better than to fire so promiscuous-like in the city streets. He meant well, but if he had killed you, what then?" And the man passed on, shaking his head earnestly.
In the morning Giant felt quite like himself and insisted upon leaving off the bandage that had been placed over his forehead.
"I don't want to become an object of curiosity," he explained. "Even as it is, I suppose lots of folks will want to know all about it."
While the boys were eating the door bell rang, and the hired girl announced a man to see the lad who had been shot. The visitor proved to be Hank Donaldson, a big, burly fellow, now nervous to the degree of collapsing.
"I—-I hope yer don't think I did it a-purpose," said Donaldson. "'Cos I didn't—-I only wanted to shoot that 'ere lion, 'fore he ate sombuddy up."
"I understand," answered Giant. "But you were very careless.After this you had better give up lion hunting."
"I sure will. I am very sorry—-yes, I am. Hope you'll forgive it."
"I will—-if you didn't mean it," answered Giant.
"I've got a heap o' troubles, I have," went on Hank Donaldson. "Got to pay 'bout a hundred dollars fer a plate-glass winder I smashed, an' got to pay fer a dorg, too. Ye don't catch me huntin' lions no more." And he heaved a mountainous sigh. A few minutes later he departed, saying he hoped Giant would soon get over his hurts.
"I guess he will be punished enough when he pays for the glass and the dog," said the small youth, and smiled in spite of his wounds.
Getting a ladder, the boys fixed up the brokendown honeysuckle vine, and then bid good-by to Mrs. Carson. She was still a bit timid about letting them go.
"You keep your eyes open for that lion," she said. "And if you see him, run into the first house or store that's handy. Don't think you can shoo him off again with a stone, because it isn't likely you'll be able to."
"We'll be on our guard, aunty," answered Shep.
The circus had left town, as it was billed to perform in another city forty miles away. But several employees had been left behind, and these men, aided by a number of others, went on a long hunt for the lion and the chimpanzee. The lion had been seen making for the woods, but what had become of the chimpanzee nobody knew.
"The loss of that chimpanzee is a big one for the circus," said Snap, while on the way home. "Just see how they feature him on the bills. They have other lions, but Abe was their only man-monkey."
What the youth said about the chimpanzee was true. Abe, as he had been named, was a wonderful drawing-card. At first a reward of fifty dollars was offered for his return, and later this sum was increased. It may be as well to state here that the owner of the circus suspected that the men who had been discharged by him had the chimpanzee and would have it returned to him when the reward was large enough. What had become of the men nobody knew, and the boy acrobat had likewise disappeared.
"That boy interested me," said Snap. "I'd like to meet him again and have a talk with him."
"Maybe we will meet him again some time," answered the doctor's son.
"Oh, it's not likely. There won't be anything to keep him in these parts. If he is a regular acrobat, more than likely he'll join some other circus or some vaudeville show."
"He didn't look as if he liked the life," said Whopper.
"That's the way it struck me," came from Giant.
When the boys got home they had quite a story to tell. Mrs. Caslette was much alarmed over the injuries her son had received and insisted upon it that Giant let Dr. Reed attend him, which the physician did willingly.
"Not much damaged," said the doctor. "But he had what folks call a close shave."
The boys told the doctor about what they had learned from Mr. Jally, and in turn he gave them instructions concerning the photographs he desired them to obtain during their outing in the Windy Mountains. As there might be a little delay in getting the new cameras and in getting some other supplies the start of the trip was postponed until Tuesday.
"And how do you propose to go?" asked Snap of the doctor's son.
"Father thinks it would be wise for us to row to Firefly Lake.Then we can hide our boat and tote our supplies over to the mountains."
"That suits me, Shep."
"Did Ham Spink and his crowd go that way?" asked Whopper.
"I think they did, but I am not sure."
"Well, I don't want to meet them if they did," came from Giant."They can keep their distance and we'll keep ours."
Coming from Sunday-school on Sunday afternoon the boys fell in with Jed Sanborn, the old hunter who had gone out with them on more than one trip. They were rather surprised to see the man carrying his shotgun, for Jed usually believed in respecting the Sabbath day.
"Been out hunting?" queried Snap as all came to a halt.
"Well, yes, kind of," answered the old hunter. "But not any reg'lar game."
"I didn't think you'd be out on Sunday," said Whopper.
"I took it into my head yesterday to look fer that lion as got away at Railings," was Jed Sanborn's answer. "Somebuddy said as how he was keepin' shady over to Merrick's woods, so I tramped over. Stayed in the woods all night an' this mornin'."
"Did you see the lion?" asked Snap eagerly.
"Nary a hair o' him, lad, an' I don't think he's in the woods, nuther."
"But he must be somewhere," insisted Giant.
"Thet might be, but he ain't in Merrick's woods. I'll bet a glass o' cider on't." Jed Sanborn looked at the boys and grinned. "Goin' out huntin' ag'in, so I hear."
"Yes."
"Whereabouts this time—-up whar ye see the ghost?" And the old man chuckled, thinking of what the ghost had proved to be.
"No. We are going over to Windy Mountains this trip," answered the doctor's son.
"That far, eh? It's quite a trip. Hope ye find it wuth so long a journey. I don't know as the game thar is any better nor around the lakes close to hum."
"We are going for the fun of camping partly," said Shep. He did not care to say anything about the picture-taking for his father. "Do you expect to come out that way?"
"I might."
"If you do you must hunt us up," put in Snap.
"I'll do thet, sure pop," answered Jed Sanborn. He started off, then turned back. "Oh, I say!" he called.
"What is it?" asked Whopper.
"It's about thet pesky Ham Spink," went on the old hunter. "DidI tell ye about my spring?"
"No. What of it?" asked Giant.
"Ye know I've got a nice spring o' cold water up by my cabin. Well, some days ago Ham Spink an' thet Dudder boy came up there, an' on the sly caved the spring in on me. I caught 'em coming away. I had my shotgun with me, an' I was mad, good an' proper. I said they must fix the spring or somebuddy'd git shot. They got scart, I kin tell ye, an' they got on their hands an' knees in the sand an' rocks an' mud and worked like beavers till they had the spring fixed. It jest about ruined their clothes, an' when they went off they was as mad as hops. Spink said he would square up, but he's a blower an' I ain't afraid o' him."
"It was just like Ham's meanness, and Carl Dudder's meanness, too," said Snap.
The new cameras and supplies had come in on Saturday night, and on Monday morning the boys received a new tent from Dr. Reed, and a tarpaulin from Mr. Dodge. Mr. Dawson gave the boys some blankets, and Mrs. Caslette promised to supply them with a hamper of table delicacies.
"With so many good things we'll have a better time than ever before," said Snap.
"Nothing like winding up the summer in good shape," answered the doctor's son.
The chums went over their boat with care, to make certain that it did not leak, and then looked over their guns and the rest of their outfit. On Monday evening everything was taken down to the boathouse for readiness early Tuesday morning.
"I am glad of one thing," remarked Whopper. "Ham Spink and his crowd are not on hand to molest our things, as they tried to do before."
"Well, we gave 'em a warm reception when they did come to the boathouse," answered Snap with a grin, referring to an event related in detail in "The Young Hunters of the Lake."
For this particular outing the supplies were extra numerous, and the boys knew it was going to be no light task to transport them by boat and pack.
"We'll have to make the best of it," said the doctor's son. "When we are in the boat we'll have to row with care, and if we can't tote the stuff over to the mountains in one trip we'll make two."
It was somewhat gloomy Monday evening, and the boys were fearful that it might rain by morning. But the clouds cleared away during the night and the sun came up in the morning as brightly as ever. Each got an early breakfast, and by eight o'clock all were assembled at the boathouse.
"Everything all right?" asked Whopper, who was the last to arrive.
"All O.K.," answered Snap.
Soon the supplies were stowed away with care, and then the chums entered the craft. It was agreed that two should row at a time, and Snap and Giant took up the oars. Several men and boys had gathered to see them start.
"Don't forget to bring back another bear!" sang out one man.
"If you should happen to see that lion, better run for it," cautioned another.
"We don't expect to see the lion, and we aren't looking for more bears," answered Snap. "We are going to take it easy this trip."
"Well, I wish you luck," said the man. Then the boys set up a cheer from the shore, and the chums answered it.
"Say, Snap, what makes you think this is going to be a real quiet picnic?" asked Whopper on the way. "Now, I expect to bag about fifty rabbits, a hundred partridges, some wild turkeys, a bear or two, and that lion in the bargain!"
"Wow!" gasped Giant. "Whopper is to the front once more. Why not make it two lions while you are at it?"
"Because there is only one, and I don't want to be—-er—-piggish."
"Why not say lionish?" questioned Shep.
"Aren't you going to hunt at all?" demanded the boy who loved to exaggerate.
"Of course," drawled Giant. "I am going to hunt ants, and June bugs, and horseflies, and worms, and——-"
"Oh, come off!" growled Whopper. "You know what I mean."
"To be sure we'll hunt," said the doctor's son. "But the cameras are going ahead of the guns this trip."
"Speaking of cameras and worms puts me in mind of something I heard yesterday," said Snap. "It's about trick photography. An amateur photographer showed a picture he had of what looked like a fierce snake on a rail fence. By and by he gave the trick away. The snake was nothing but a garden worm wound around some little sticks and toothpicks, and the picture had been snapped at close range."
"That's like a trick picture I heard about, taken on two plates," said Giant. "It was one of a man wheeling himself in a wheelbarrow."
"I know of three fellows who took a queer-looking picture," said Whopper. "Now, this is true," he continued, noticing the others look of doubt. "They got an oilcloth sign, a square one, and then one fellow got up on another fellow's shoulders. The two fellows held the sign in front of them while the third chap took the picture. When the photo was printed it looked as if the boy carrying the sign was about nine feet high."
"I heard of that in a different way," said Snap. "A fellow out in the country took two horses back of a henhouse. He had the head of one horse sticking beyond one end of the henhouse and the hind legs of the second horse sticking out at the other end, and the picture looked as if that horse was fifteen or twenty feet long."
On they went along the river, past Pop Lundy's orchard, where they had once had quite an adventure. It was rather warm, but a light breeze cooled those at the oars. Snap and Giant rowed for about a mile and were then relieved by their chums, and thus they changed about until it was time for lunch, when they ran ashore at an inviting spot.
"Rowing makes a fellow hungry," observed Whopper. "I think I can eat at least fifteen sandwiches, not to mention some cake and a few pieces of pie."
"Perhaps you want the whole lunch yourself," said Snap. "Well, you don't get it."
"Anybody want coffee?" asked Shep. "If so we'll have to start up a fire."
"Don't bother to-day. Water is good enough," said Giant, and so they rested in the shade of the trees and ate their sandwiches and a pie Mrs. Caslette had baked for them, washing the food down with water from a handy spring.
"I am going to take my first picture," said Snap, and made the others get in a group, each with a piece of pie in his hand. He took a snapshots and then marked the picture in a book he had brought along for that purpose.
"What do you call it?" asked Whopper.
"Pie-ous Time," answered Snap, and then dodged a tin cup the other flung at him.
"We must try to reach Lake Cameron before night," said Shep, when they were once more on the way. "I shouldn't care to camp out along the river."
"Oh, you might find a worse spot," answered Snap. "However, we'll get to the lake if we can."
As my old readers know, Lake Cameron was connected with the river by a narrow creek, the banks of which were overhung with bushes. Since the boys had come home from their last outing the rains had been heavy, consequently the creek was well filled with water.
"This makes getting through easy, and I am glad of it," said Whopper. "I was afraid we'd have to carry some of the stuff around, so as to lighten the boat."
"Are you going up the lake shore very far tonight?" questioned Giant.It was already growing dark.
"No, I think we had best camp near the mouth of the creek," answered the doctor's son, and the others agreed with him.
As soon as the lake was reached Giant, who was the best fisherman of the crowd, baited up and threw out his line. For some time he did not get a bite, but then came a sharp tug, so dear to the heart of the angler.
"What have you got?" asked Whopper.
"Might be an elephant, but I—-I guess not," cried the small youth.
The others stopped rowing and Giant began to play his catch with care. Soon he brought to light a fine pickerel, and dropped the fish in the bottom of the boat.
"Good for Giant!" cried Snap. "A couple of more like that and we'll have a dandy fish supper."
Again the line was baited and thrown in and the boys took up their rowing. Presently came another tug and again Giant was successful, bringing in a fish several inches larger than the first.
"This is pickerel day," cried Whopper "Reckon I'll try my luck," and he did, and presently brought in a pickerel almost as large as the others. But that was the end of the luck for the time being.
"Never mind," said Shep. "Three are enough. Now to land and get our camp into shape for the night—-and then for supper." And a few minutes later a landing was made.
The boys knew the shores of Lake Cameron well, having camped there before, and they selected a spot that just suited their wants. The rowboat was drawn up in a tiny cove and made fast, and then all hands set to work getting the tent and some of the outfit ashore. The things left in the boat were covered carefully with the tarpaulin, to keep off the night dampness and a possible rain.
Shep had been selected as the leader during this outing, on account of what his father had done for the club, and he now directed Giant and Whopper to build the fire and get supper ready, while he and Snap erected the tent and cut some pine boughs for bedding.
"It will be almost warm enough to-night to sleep out of doors," said the doctor's son. "But it seems more natural to sleep under some kind of a cover."
He and Snap took the ax and soon cut down three slender saplings and trimmed them. Two were planted in the ground where the tent was to be erected and the third was laid across the top, in little limb-crotches left for that purpose. Then the canvas was thrown over and pegged down tightly, sides and back. The front of the tent had a double flap, which could be tied shut with strings if desired.
Long before the tent was up and furnished with bedding of pine boughs, Giant and Whopper had the camp fire started, and soon an appetizing odor of coffee and frying fish filled the air. It was now quite dark, and the glare of the fire made the scene a pleasant one.
"Camping wouldn't be camping without a fire," observed Snap, as, having finished his share of the work, he sat down on a grassy hillock to rest and watch Giant and Whopper getting ready to serve the evening meal.
"Right you are, Snap," answered Shep. "Even in the hottest of weather I love to see the glare and the flickering shadows."
"I always think of good stories and plenty to eat when I see a camp fire," came from Giant.
"Well, I reckon we are going to have the eating, even if we don't have the stories," said the doctor's son.
"What's the matter with Whopper spinning one of his outrageous yarns?" suggested Snap. "He must be fairly aching to tell something marvelous."
"I tell only truthful tales," came from the storyteller modestly. "Now, if you want to hear——-"
"Truthful tales!" burst out Giant. "Say, Whopper, that's the very biggest whopper you ever told!"
"All right, then, I won't tell any stories," returned the other lad reproachfully.
"Oh, yes, you will; you can't help it," said Snap.
Supper was soon served. It consisted of bread and butter and coffee and pickerel done to a turn, topped off with some crullers from a bagful donated by Mrs. Caslette. The boys took their time eating, and when they had finished the bones of the fish were picked clean. Then Giant said something about a train falling off a bridge, and that started Whopper to telling a most marvelous story of an engineer who, seeing that a bridge was down, put on all speed and rushed his train over a gap thirty feet wide in safety. The others listened with sober faces until Whopper had finished, and then burst out laughing.
"What did I tell you?" cried Snap. "I said Whopper couldn't help telling a yarn."
"And such a one, too!" added Giant.
"And of course we all believe it," came from the doctor's son.
"Well, I had to do something—-to help pass the time," said Whopper a bit sheepishly.
"Sure you did," said Snap heartily. "It's all right, Whopper—-only don't ask us to believe such a story."
"Is anybody going to stand guard to-night?" asked Giant to change the subject.
"What's the use?" questioned Snap. "I don't think anybody or anything will come to disturb us."
"Well, you can never tell," said Shep slowly. "But if you fellows don't care to stand guard we'll let it go at that."
"Oh, it's for you to say, Shep—-you are leader this trip."
"Well, I guess we can all turn in."
And turn in they did about nine o'clock, with the understanding that they were to have breakfast at six in the morning and continue their journey as soon after that as possible.
Whether he felt the responsibility of leadership or not it would be hard to say, but certain it is that the doctor's son did not sleep near as soundly as did the others. He was very restless, and when he dozed off it was to dream of the lion that had escaped from the circus. He imagined that the animal had followed them to their camp and was bending over him and licking his face. He uttered a groan of terror and sat up and opened his eyes. As he did this a dark form leaped over him and out of the open tent. The fire had burned low, so what the form was Shep could not tell.
"Help!" screamed the doctor's son. He was not yet fully awake.
"Wha—-what's the matter?" spluttered Snap, throwing aside his blanket.
"What's wrong?" came from Whopper and Giant simultaneously.
"Something—-a wild animal—-in here—-jumped over me!" gaspedShep. "It just went outside!"
"Oh, you are dreaming, Shep," said Snap.
"No, I'm not. I saw it—-felt it! Let me get my gun!"
The doctor's son threw off his blanket, leaped up and grasped his shotgun, that hung on one of the tent poles. He stepped to the opening of the tent and peered out anxiously.
"See anything?" demanded Whopper. He and the others were now up, and each was arming himself.
"N—-no."
"I told you you were dreaming," came from Snap.
"Too many crullers for supper," was Giant's comment. "Sometimes they lay like lead in a fellow's stomach and give him all sorts of dreams."
"It wasn't the crullers," persisted the doctor's son. "I'm going outside and investigate." And he stepped out in the direction of the camp fire.
"Be careful," warned Snap. "If any wild beasts are around you want to be on your guard."
The doctor's son looked around with care, but could see no trace of the night visitor. He stirred up the camp fire and soon had a bright blaze going. The others had followed him outside and they stood shivering in the damp air.
"False alarm, I guess," said Giant, yawning. "What time is it?"
"One o'clock," answered Whopper, after consulting his watch. "Say, this is a dandy way of breaking up one's rest," he added sarcastically.
"If you don't believe I saw something—-and felt something—-you needn't," returned Shep tartly.
"Must have been a sand flea, or a water bug."
"Come, Whopper, don't get mad," came from Snap. "If Shep——-"
"There it is, behind the bushes!" burst out the doctor's son. "I just saw its eyes shining!"
As he spoke he raised his shotgun. But the eyes had disappeared.
"I saw something," came from Giant. "See, it's moving—-back of the huckleberry bush."
Something was moving, that was evident, but what it was none of the young hunters could make out. Shep raised his gun again.
"Shall I take a chance and fire?" he asked of the others.
"Might as well," answered Whopper. "It couldn't be anything but a wild animal."
"Wait," cried Snap. He raised his voice. "Who is there?" he called out. "Answer, or we'll shoot!"
For reply there came a sound that thoroughly astonished the boys. It was the bark of a dog, low and uncertain. Then there stepped into view a collie, wagging his tail doubtfully.
"A dog!" cried Giant. "Come here! come here!" he called, and gave an inviting whistle.
Slowly the dog came forward, still wagging his tail doubtfully. When he was quite close he sat up on his haunches and began to move his fore paws up and down.
"He's begging!" cried Snap. "He must be hungry."
"I suppose he smelled our food and came for some," said Giant. "Good little dog!" he cried. "Come here!" And as he snapped his fingers the collie came up to him and allowed the small youth to pat him on the head.
"That's your wild beast, Shep," said Whopper.
"Well, I knew it was something," answered the doctor's son. "That dog must have been in the tent."
"More than likely," answered Snap. "See how friendly he is," he added, for the collie was now leaping from one to another of the boys and barking joyfully. Giant gave him a cruller and he ate the dainty greedily.
"He's half starved," said Snap. "Must have wandered off into the woods and got lost."
"Is there a name on his collar?" asked Whopper.
"No, only a license number," answered Giant after an examination."Looks to me as if he might be a valuable animal."
"I think I've seen that collie before," said Shep.
"So you did—-in the tent," said Whopper quickly, and set up a laugh.
"Oh, you know what I mean. He has a regular star on his breast.Yes, I am sure I've seen him somewhere, but where I can't remember."
"He ought to be returned to his owner," said Snap. "But how we are going to do it I don't know. I don't care to go back just for the dog."
"Nor I," added Giant. "Let us take him along and bring him back with us when we come."
"If he'll stay with us," came from Whopper. "He may—-if we feed him well," answered the doctor's son.
They let the dog have another cruller and the heads of the fish, and the animal made a meal of them. The boys felt cold and tired and crawled back into the tent to finish their night's rest. Soon the collie came nosing at the opening.
"Come here!" said Giant in a low voice, and instantly the dog nestled down at his side, and there he remained until daylight.
"We can take him in some of our pictures," said the small youth."He'll add to the picturesqueness."
"What are you going to call him?" asked Whopper.
"Sphinx."
"And why Sphinx?" asked Snap.
"Because he won't tell us who he is, where he came from, or anything about himself."
"Oh, that's not a pretty name," cried the doctor's son. "I vote we call him Wags, because he wags his tail so much."
"All right, Wags it is," said Giant. "What do you say, Wags?" he added, turning to the dog.
The collie barked and wagged his tail vigorously. Evidently he was perfectly satisfied.
As the lads had no more game or fish to eat, they made a hasty meal of bacon, bread, crullers and coffee. As soon as the repast was over they took down the tent and placed that and the other things on board the rowboat. The collie had been fed and was more frisky than ever.
"Wonder if he'll go into the boat with us?" said Snap. "Some dogs don't like the water."
"Most collies do," answered Giant. "I'll try him." He called Wags, and the dog leaped into the craft and took his place at the bow.
"He'll do for a lookout," said Whopper. "Come on, it's time to start."
They looked around the temporary camp, to make certain that nothing had been left behind, then entered the rowboat and shoved off. Snap and Whopper took the oars, and soon they were on the journey up Lake Cameron to Firefly Lake.
"Don't forget one thing," said Snap shortly after starting. "If possible we want to bring down some sort of game for dinner. It won't do to use up our canned things and that stuff."
"Everybody watch out," said Giant. "And if we can't shoot something, why, toward dinner time, I'll try my hand at fishing again."
It was another ideal day, and the young hunters felt in the best of spirits. Whopper felt so good that presently he burst out singing an old school song, and the others joined in.
"That's all right, and very good, but if we want any game we've got to keep quiet," said the doctor's son after the song was ended.
"Right you are," answered Whopper promptly. "And as I'd rather eat later than sing now I'll shut up."
They followed the shore line of Lake Cameron, heading for the rocky watercourse that connected that body of water with Firefly Lake. The eyes of all were on the alert for game, and toward the middle of the forenoon Giant called a halt.
"I saw something in the trees yonder," he said, pointing ashore."Looked to me as if they might be partridge."
"Partridge would suit me first rate," answered Snap. "Let us land and try our luck."
"Making as little noise as possible they beached the rowboat andGiant silenced the dog, not knowing what he might do while on a hunt.
"Perhaps he's a good bird dog and perhaps he isn't," he said. "We'll take no chances."
Each of the young hunters had his shotgun, and one after another they followed Shep to the spot where the game had been seen among the trees. High among the branches of a silver maple tree they saw some ruffed grouse, commonly known to many sportsmen as partridge.
"There's our chance," said the doctor's son. "Who is to fire?"
"Let us all take a chance," pleaded Giant. "Just to open the outing, you know."
Shep was willing, and said he would give the word. With great caution they crept as close as possible to the grouse. The birds were on three branches of the maple, one over the other.
Silently the four boy hunters raised their firearms. Shep looked at them and then along the barrel of his piece.
"Fire!" said he, and one shot rang out after another quickly. There was a mad whirring and fluttering from the ruffed grouse. Two dropped like lead, while two others flew around in a circle, badly wounded. Then the boys discharged their guns again, and wounded two more birds. As the game came down they rushed in and wrung the necks of those not already dead.
"Six, all told," said Giant proudly. "That's one and a half apiece."
"Not so bad," answered Snap.
"It's dandy!" shouted Whopper, throwing up his cap in his delight. "Now we can have roast partridge for dinner, and supper, too, if we want to."
"Right you are," came from Shep. "I believe we all made a hit," he added.
"A hit?" repeated Whopper. "We all made home runs!" And at this reference to baseball all of the boys laughed.
Taking the game to the rowboat, they resumed their journey, and by noon reached the watercourse connecting the two lakes. Here they stopped at a spot well known to them and built a camp fire, and here they roasted all of the game, fearing it might not keep in such hot weather.
"I'm going to try baking 'em in mud," said Giant, who had learned the trick from Jed Sanborn. Leaving the feathers on the grouse the lad plastered each bird thickly with some clayey mud, and then placed them in the fire to roast, or bake, as he called it. He watched them with care and tried one frequently to see if it was done.
"Now I guess this will do," he said at last, and cracked the baked mud from the grouse. With the mud came the feathers of the bird, leaving the meat clean. The grouse was tender and juicy and done to a turn.
"Giant, you'll have to get a job as a chef in a big hotel," said the doctor's son, smacking his lips over the feast. "This game certainly couldn't be, better."
"Why not leave some of the partridge right in the baked mud?" suggested Snap. "It ought to keep well that way."
"We can try it," said Whopper.
The collie was given his share of the dinner and appeared to enjoy it as much as the boys. He acted as if he felt perfectly at home with the young hunters, and made no offer to leave them.
"If he wasn't such a fine dog I'd put him down as an outcast," said Shep. "But nobody would abandon such a fine animal—-he's worth too much money."
Once again the boy hunters proceeded on their way. As they entered the watercourse connecting the two lakes they noticed that the current was flowing swiftly.
"The heavy rains are responsible for this," said Snap. "We want to be careful, or the boat will be smashed on some of the rocks."
"We might get out and walk—-that is, some of us—-if the shore wasn't so rough and rocky," said Whopper. "It looks wilder than ever now, doesn't it, boys?"
It certainly did look wilder—-or was it only the rushing of the water that made it appear so? They rowed on with caution, two at the oars and two doing the steering with poles. Wags sat in the bow as before, watching proceedings in silence.
About half the distance to Firefly Lake had been covered when they came to a sharp turn in the watercourse. Here the water boiled and foamed around several sharp rocks.
"Beware of the rocks!" sang out the doctor's Son.
"To the right! To the right!" yelled Whopper. "It's too shallow on the other side!"
They tried to turn the craft to the right, but the current seemed too strong for them. The boat swung around and hit one of the rocks a sharp blow. There was a little splash as the collie went overboard. Then came a big souse, that covered those who remained in the boat with spray.
"Giant is overboard!" cried Whopper. "And so is the dog!"
"Let the dog take care of himself," cried Snap. "Grab Giant!"
Whopper turned to catch the lad who had gone overboard, but the current was too quick for him, and the small youth was sent whirling out of his reach.
For the moment it looked as if the rowboat would either go over or be stove in on the rocks, and those left on board had to turn their attention to the craft. They saw Giant floundering in the boiling water, but could do nothing to aid him.
"Swing her around and pull for shore; it's our only chance!" criedSnap. "Quick, now—-or we'll all go to the bottom!"
Fighting desperately, the three lads swung the craft around slowly. It scraped on more of the rocks, and one of the oars was caught and snapped off like a pipe-stem. But then the boat struck water that was a little more calm, and soon they reached a cove and felt themselves safe for the time being.
"Where is Giant?" was Shep's question as soon as they knew the outfit was secure.
"There he is, on one of the rocks," answered Whopper. "And here comes the dog," he added as the collie came battling bravely toward them.
Soon Wags was on shore and shaking himself vigorously, acting as if such a bath was a daily occurrence.
"Hello, you fellows!" came in Giant's voice. He was sprawled out on a rock in midstream, sixty feet away.
"Are you hurt?" questioned Shep anxiously.
"No; the water was pretty soft," answered the small youth. "ButI say, how am I going to get ashore?"
"Can't you wade it?" asked Whopper.
"No; don't try that—-the current is too swift," cried Snap.
"Well, we can't take the boat to him," said Whopper.
"I know that."
"We might throw him a line," suggested the doctor's son.
"Yes, that's an idea."
A light but strong line was brought forth and Shep curled it up as a cowboy does a lasso. Then he made a cast, but the line fell short.
"Let me try it," said Snap.
One after another the boys on shore tried to reach Giant with the line but failed. After Whopper had made his cast Wags, who had been sitting on a rock watching proceedings with interest, gave a bark and caught the end of the line in his teeth.
"There's an idea!" cried Snap. "Let the dog carry the line."
"Will he do it?" questioned Whopper.
"We can try him and see."
The end of the line was made fast to the collie's collar, and Giant was told to call him.
"Come, Wags! That's a good dog! Come!" called the small youth, and whistled and snapped his fingers.
At first Wags appeared to be doubtful, but finally he ventured into the water. Then he began to swim steadily toward the rock, dragging the line behind him.
"What a shame if the current carries him away!" murmured Whopper.
"We'll not allow that," answered the doctor's son. "If he loses ground we can haul him in."
Slowly but surely the dog drew closer to the rock. At last he got within Giant's reach, and the youth caught him and pulled him up.
"Tie the rope about your waist and we'll haul you to shore!" sang out Shep. "Bring the dog on your shoulder if you can."
"I'll try it," answered Giant.
It was no easy matter for him, on the wet and slippery rock, to adjust the rope and get the collie on his shoulder. But presently he announced that he was ready, and the boys on shore commenced to haul in. Down in the madly rushing water went Giant, and it was all he could do to keep his feet. But luck was with him, and in a very few minutes he and the dog were safe.
"That was quite an adventure," he said when he had recovered his breath.
"You went overboard in a great hurry," remarked Whopper. "And so did Wags."
"The shock to the boat did it. It made me lose my balance beforeI was aware."
"Let us be thankful Giant is safe, and Wags," said the doctor's son. "And thankful, too, that the boat didn't go over. If it had our outing would have been spoiled."
"We've got to be mighty careful how we travel through the rest of this river," remarked Snap. "The heavy rains have made a fierce torrent of it."
It must be confessed that the boys did not know exactly what to do. Should they venture on the river again, or carry the outfit to the beginning of Firefly Lake?
"I've got an idea," said Shep at last. "You can follow it or not, as you think best. My idea is to have two of the crowd take the boat down and the two others walk to Firefly Lake, carrying the most precious of the outfit."
"That suits me," said Snap.
"Who will walk and who take the boat?" questioned Whopper.
"I might as well go in the boat—-I'm wet already," said Giant, smiling grimly.
"The three of us can draw lots as to who shall go with Giant," said the doctor's son.
The drawing was at once made, and it fell to Snap to go with the small youth. The cameras and guns were taken from the rowboat and also a few other things. Then the doctor's son and Whopper aided the others in getting the boat into the rushing river once more.
"Take care of yourselves!" cried Shep. "If all goes right you'll get to the lake long before we do."
In a moment the boat was caught by the current and whirled onward. Giant and Snap had all they could do to steer it. But, fortunately, they found no more such bad places as those already encountered, and in less than an hour found themselves floating on Firefly Lake, safe and sound.
"The others might have come with us after all," declared Giant."Wonder how long it will take them to reach here?"
"I don't know; it depends on how rough they find the way. Maybe a couple of hours," answered Snap. "We may as well go ashore, start up a camp and wait for them."
The doctor's son and Whopper had no easy time of it making their way through the bushes and around the rocks which lined the watercourse between the two lakes. There was no trail on that side of the stream, and they had to "go it blind," to use Shep's words.
"Say, this is worse than climbing a mountain!" gasped Whopper, after slipping and sliding over a number of rocks and coming down rather suddenly in a hollow.
"Rather knocks the breath out of a fellow," returned Shep. "Take care that you don't sprain an ankle, Whopper."
"That's what I'm watching out for. I don't want my whole outing spoiled."
After a large amount of hard walking and climbing they managed to cover about half the distance to Firefly Lake. But by that time both were so exhausted the doctor's son called a halt.
"No use of killing ourselves," he said. "We can't go any farther than the lake to-day, anyway."
"Hope Snap and Giant wait for us at the mouth of the river," saidWhopper. "I don't want to tramp along the lake shore afoot."
"Oh, they'll wait, and mostly likely start a camp."
"Say, if I remember rightly the river makes a bend to the right here," went on Whopper after a pause. "And if that is so, what's the matter with our striking inland a short distance and cutting off some of the walk?"
"I'm willing—-anything to reach Firefly Lake before it gets too dark to see."
Having rested themselves, the boys commenced to draw away from the river shore, taking to the woods, where the walking was easier. It was now close to six o'clock, and the sun was going down over the trees to the westward.
"Hope they have supper ready by the time we get there," said Whopper after a period of silence. "This transit is making me as hungry as a bear."
"Same here. Well, we'll have the partridge to fall back on, even if they don't cook anything else."
The two young hunters tramped on. As they walked they kept their eyes open for a possible sight of game. So far all they had seen were some birds, not worth shooting.
Another quarter of a mile was covered when they came to a patch of spruces. As they advanced they saw several rabbits leap from beside one of the trees.
"A chance for a shot!" cried the doctor's son, and speedily swung his shotgun into position, an example followed by his chum. Both young hunters blazed away without delay, and each was successful in laying a rabbit low. Before they could fire again the rest of the game was out of sight.
"Not very large," was Shep's comment as they picked up the game. "But the rabbits are young, and they'll make fine eating."
"It is a good thing that new game law isn't in effect yet," saidWhopper. "If it was we'd not be allowed to shoot rabbits until nextOctober."
"You are right, Whopper—-hunting will be a good deal more restricted after the new laws go into effect."
Placing the rabbits in a gamebag, the two chums walked on, past the clump of spruces and then across a little clearing. Here, much to their surprise, they came in sight of a dilapidated cabin. It was a small affair of rough logs with a rude stone chimney and one window and one door. One end of the cabin sagged greatly, as if on the point of falling down.
"I hadn't any idea this was here," was the comment of the doctor's son. "Wonder who it can belong to?"
"Perhaps some hunters put it up in days gone by," returned Whopper."It doesn't look as if it was inhabited."
"Let's go in and take a look around," suggested Shep. It was his delight to poke around in new and odd places.
"We don't want to lose time," was his chum's reply. "It will be dark before you know it."
"Oh, it won't take long to look," answered Shep.
The old cabin was surrounded by weeds and bushes, and they had to fairly work their way to the doorway.
"Somebody has been here, that's certain," cried the doctor's son."Here are eggshells and newly picked chicken feathers."
"Hello, in there!" cried Whopper, poking his head into the small doorway. He could not see, for the cabin inside was dark.
Scarcely had the word been uttered when a most surprising thing happened. Something whizzed through the air, directly between the heads of the two boy hunters. It was a good-sized chunk of wood, and it struck a rock outside with a thud.
"Why—-why—-stop that!" stammered Whopper, and fell back, and Shep did the same.
"Evidently somebody doesn't want visitors," was the comment of the doctor's son. "I say," he called out, "what do you mean by heaving that wo——-"
Crash! From the interior of the cabin came another chunk of wood, a gnarled root, just grazing Shep's shoulder. Then a stone followed, striking Whopper a glancing blow on the hip. Both lads retreated in confusion.
"Well, of all things!" gasped the doctor's son when he could get his breath. "That's a cordial welcome, I must say."
"Have you any idea who it was?"
"Not the slightest. It was too dark to see anybody."
"Couldn't be any of the Ham Spink crowd?"
"No. I don't think they'd treat us in just that way."
"Maybe it's some crazy chap."
"That's more like it—-some hermit like old Peter Peterson," returned Shep, referring to an old man who lived near the lakes and who rarely showed himself in any of the settlements.
"Peter Peterson wasn't crazy; he didn't heave things at folks."
"Let us see if we can get him to come out. I'd like to see what sort of a chap he is."
Keeping at what they thought was a safe distance, the two boy hunters called loudly half a dozen times. No answer was returned.
"Perhaps he's deaf," suggested Whopper.
"More likely he doesn't want to show himself."
"Maybe it's a she, Shep."
"Possibly. If it's a woman she must be a regular witch. Let us call again."
They did so. At first they heard nothing in return. Then came a strange sound from the cabin, and for one brief instant a dark, impish face showed itself at the broken window. Then the face disappeared and a stone came whizzing toward the lads' heads. They ducked just in time, or one or the other might have been seriously hurt.
"Let's get out—-no use of staying here to be a target!" cried Whopper, who was growing nervous. "No telling what that fellow—-or woman—-may do next. Might come for us with a carving knife!" And he hurried away, with the doctor's son beside him. They did not slacken their pace until the dilapidated cabin had disappeared from view.
"Did you see him—-or her?" asked Shep.
"Just about and no more. What a dried-up, hateful face!"
"Just what I thought. I'll wager that that person, whoever he or she is, is as mad as a—-a crazy person can be."
"I believe you, and I don't know as I want to go near that cabin again."
"We ought to tell the authorities about it, though. That person might kill somebody some day."
"Well, we can tell the police when we go back."
"Could it be some tramp, who is living on farmers' chickens and the like?"
"It might be. But I think it's somebody who's crazy. A tramp wouldn't find it any fun to live away out here. Why, it must be two miles, at least, to the nearest farm."
"More like three."
"Tramps like to stay near the farms and near railroads. No, that's some kind of a crazy hermit."
Discussing the happening from every point of view, the two lads trudged on. It was now growing dark rapidly, and they were anxious to reach Firefly Lake.
"Hope we haven't missed the way," said the doctor's son presently."Seems to me we ought to be getting to the river or the lake soon."
"Here's a rise of ground. I'm going up there and take a look," answered his chum.
From the small hill they made out the glint of water in the distance, and they also saw the glare of the camp fire Snap and Giant had started.
"Might as well steer straight for the camp fire," said Shep. "It will save us some walking."
When within a few hundred feet of the camp they set up a loudwhistle, to which the others immediately responded. Then Snap andGiant came to meet them, and relieved them of some of the things.A little later all were seated around the camp fire.
"So you got through all O.K., eh?" said the doctor's son, after Snap and Giant had told their story. "Well, so did we—-but we had some queer things happen." And then he and Whopper told of the tumbles, and of what had occurred at the old cabin in the woods.
"Say, wish I had been along!" cried Snap. "I'd like to investigate that cabin and see who is there."
"You wouldn't want to investigate a block of wood or a stone thrown at your head, would you?" demanded Whopper sarcastically.
"Maybe we could go there when the hermit—-or whatever he or she is—-is asleep," went on Snap. He always believed in getting at the bottom of a mystery.
"If you go there you'll go without me," declared Whopper firmly. "I wouldn't tempt that—-er—-crazy fellow again for a billion dollars! Why, he might come out and carve a chap all up with a butcher knife, or blow your head off with a gun!"
Supper was ready, and while they were talking the young hunters managed to stow away a hearty meal, after, which all felt better. But the experiences of the day had worn them out, and each was glad enough to retire early.
"We want to be stirring early to-morrow," said the doctor's son. "We want to go up the lake and then begin to tote the outfit over the hills to the mountains."
"How about it—-going to set a guard?" asked Giant.
"Wonder if we can't put Wags on guard?" asked Snap.
"I think he'd bark if anything came to disturb us," came fromWhopper.
"We'll tie him to the front tent pole," said the doctor's son. "Then he won't be able to run off, and more than likely he'll bark if anything goes wrong."
They fixed the camp fire and then tied the collie fast by a cord slipped under his collar. Evidently Wags was used to this treatment, for he did not seem to mind it in the least. The young hunters entered the tent, and in less than a quarter of an hour all were sound asleep.
Thus an hour passed. Then, of a sudden, all the lads found themselves wide awake. Wags was barking furiously, and the hair of his body seemed to be fairly standing on end.