IN WHICH THE ENEMY APPEARS AGAIN
On the way back to camp Shep brought down a squirrel and Whopper
knocked over a rabbit, so the quest after game was not altogether
fruitless.
The boys had covered a good stretch of ground, and they were pretty
well tired out when they came within sight of the cabin.
"Oh, fellows, look!" screamed Giant suddenly. "The cabin is on
fire!"
He pointed ahead, and a glance showed his chums that he spoke the
truth. All broke into a run, and they reached the shelter almost
in the time it takes to tell it. Smoke was coming out of the door
and windows, but as yet the fire had gained little headway.
It was confined to some brushwood which had been thrust inside,
against one of the log walls.
"Some enemy has done this!" cried Snap, angrily. "Look out, I am
going to drag this fire outside."
With his bare hands Snap caught at one end of burning brush and
hauled it through the open doorway. As soon as he had done this
the doctor's son leaped into the cabin and kicked out the rest of
the fire. He could stay but a minute, for the smoke almost
strangled him. Then Whopper and Giant went in and made certain
the fire was out. Soon the smoke commenced to clear away; and
the momentary excitement was over.
"Now, what does this mean?" demanded Snap, and his voice was full
of anger.
"It means that we have been cleaned out," answered the doctor's
son, after a hasty glance around. "Look!"
He pointed to a shelf in a corner on which they, had placed some
of their stores, and then to the fireplace, and to the log that
had contained their cups, plates and cooking utensils. Everything
was gone.
"Robbed!" said Whopper, laconically. "What a shame!
"And they were going to burn down the cabin on us, too," added
Giant, bitterly. "I wonder if they touched the boat?"
At this question all ran outside and down to where the _Snapper_
had been tied to an overhanging tree. The rowboat had disappeared.
"Well, if this isn't the limit!" groaned Shep.
"Boat gone, cooking utensils gone, supplies gone---everything
gone but our firearms! Who could have done it?"
"Maybe the Felps crowd," suggested Whopper.
"Or Ham Spink's gang," added Giant. "Or the ghost."
"I don't believe the ghost had anything to do with this," said Snap.
"I think it was either the Felps or the Spink crowd. It looks
just like some of their dirty work."
"Well, this thing was done within the last three hours," came
from the doctor's son. "The question is, what have they done
with the boat and our stuff? Of course, we must get them back."
"We ought to have somebody arrested for this," put in Whopper.
"Perhaps, Whopper, but we've got to catch them first," answered
the leader of the club.
All looked eagerly up and down the lake, and across to the other
shore. Shep imagined he saw a boat pulled up in the bushes on the
other side, but was by no means sure.
"If we can't get our things back we'll have to go home," said Giant,
soberly.
"I am not going home!" cried Snap. "We've got our guns and some
ammunition, and the deer."
"I wonder if they touched the deer?" All rushed back to where
the big deer had been left, hung up in a cool spot in the forest.
Evidently the enemy had not seen this game, and it was untouched.
Looking around near the water front they found a small box of
salt, a spoon, and some scattered cartridges for the rifle. Evidently
the marauders had left in haste and dropped the things on the way.
"I am glad we have the salt," observed Snap. "Those thieves ought
to have the salt down their throats," muttered Whopper. "They are
altogether too fresh!"
The young hunters walked around the camp for half an hour and more.
They did not know what to do. They were hungry, but in no humor
for eating. They wanted to get on the track of their stolen
belongings, but did not know bow to strike out.
"Maybe some tramps came along and did this," suggested Snap, dropping
on the ground to rest. "Some of that class of fellows would think it
fine sport to clean us out."
"One thing is certain," said Shep, "and that gives me an idea," he
added suddenly. "The boat must be somewhere on this lake, and it
can't leave excepting by the river that runs into Firefly Lake.
Perhaps it would be a good idea for us to go down to the river and
set a watch for the thieves."
"It's a long tramp," answered Giant. "And don't forget the snakes
down there. If we-----"
Giant broke off short as a distant gunshot sounded out. It was
followed presently by a second shot. Then all became as quiet
as before.
"Those shots came from across the lake!" cried Snap.
"Yes, and right close to the spot where I thought I saw that boat,"
added the doctor's son.
Fellows, I believe there is a camp over there, and if we can manage
to get across perhaps we'll learn something about our belongings."
"How are we to get over without a boat?" demanded Whopper. "It's
too far to swim. The water is so cold a fellow would get cramps
before he was half over."
"We might build a raft," suggested Snap, who had been favorably
impressed by Shep's words. "There are a number of logs lying
around that we cut for firewood, and I saw some wild grapevines back
of the spring which will do very well for ropes. We could take off
the most of our clothing, so it wouldn't matter if we got wet."
The proposal to build a raft was approved by all, and they set to
work without delay. It had been after four o'clock when they
got back to the cabin and it was dark by the time the raft was
ready for use. It was a clumsy affair, made of rough logs, spliced
together with grapevine shoots, and it was barely large enough
to carry the four boys. They took off their coats and shoes and
socks, and rolled their trousers up to the knees.
"Talk about a life on the ocean wave!" sang out Whopper. "This
steam yacht would take the first prize at any cattle show, eh?"
And this quaint remark caused a general laugh.
In the center of the raft a small log was set upright, not as a
mast but as a support for their guns, for they did not wish the
weapons or their ammunition to get wet. Nobody thought of crossing
the lake without the firearms.
"We may have to fight to get our things back," was the way Snap
expressed himself. "And our guns may come in mighty handy."
"Let us try to reach a point some distance below where Shep thought
he saw the boat," suggested Snap. "Then we can land and not let
the others know what we are doing. We don't want to rush in on
any crowd that is too large for us. That would simply make more
trouble for us."
Snap's proposal was considered a wise one.
Soon the young hunters had poled the raft from shore and then
they started to propel it across the lake. Two of the boys had
rude paddles and the others cedar branches. The progress made
was not great but it was sure, and they were content.
It was pitch dark when the rude raft struck the opposite shore
of Lake Narsac. They came in among some brushwood and landed
without great difficulty. They donned their socks and shoes, put
on their coats, and slung their guns across their backs.
"We'll tie up the raft," said Snap. "For all we know we may have
to come back to it."
"Oh, I hope not!" murmured Giant.
With extreme caution they picked their way among the trees and
bushes and across the rough rocks. Once Giant rolled over and over
down some of the slanting rocks and would have got a ducking in the
lake had not Snap stopped him just in time.
"Be careful," whispered the leader of the club.
"Don't let go of one footing until you are sure of the next."
They covered a distance of two hundred yards, when Snap called a halt.
"What now?" questioned Shep.
"I see a small campfire---through yonder trees."
"Then there is a party here beyond a doubt!" cried Whopper excitedly.
"You fellows wait here and I'll crawl forward and investigate,"
went on Snap. "It may pay us to go at this as quietly as possible."
"Don't get into trouble," warned the doctor's son.
"If I do you'll hear of it quick enough," answered Snap.
Then with great caution he crawled through the brushwood in the
direction of the distant campfire.