IN A NEW CAMP
"When did you come from Lake Cameron?" asked Snap, after a pause.
"Came from there right now."
"Then you saw the Felps crowd at the cabin we built?" queried Whopper.
"So you built that shelter?"
"We did."
"And he drove you off? It was dog mean, that's all I've got to say."
"Did he tell you he had bought that land?" went on Snap.
"Yes. Oh, he's as mean as they make 'em, that feller," added 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 from
Giant. "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."