DEEP IN THE WOODS
Of course the other boys were greatly interested in the news that Gif
and Jack had to impart when they returned to the bungalow. They found
the other lads cleaning up not only the living room and the bedrooms,
but likewise the kitchen.
“Now that Jeff has gone we’re going to have everything in apple-pie
order,” said Fred. “Of course, we’ll have to take turns at getting the
meals and all that sort of thing.”
“You can’t imagine where Jeff is going,” cried Jack, and thereupon
related what had occurred at Rocky Run.
“Well, as far as I am concerned those Longley fellows are welcome to
Jeff,” was Randy’s comment.
“I’ll bet they get sick of him pretty quick,” came from Spouter. “They
won’t like his laziness any more than we did.”
Then Gif and Jack told about the possible visit from the other Colby
Hall cadets and passed over the letters received.
“On a tour!” cried Andy. “What do you know about that? Some style, I’ll
say! I suppose they’ll want to put up at the best hotel in Beldane.”
“We’ll have to have ’em over here, by all means,” cried his twin.
“Sure, we’ll have to have them over,” answered Gif. “The bungalow is
plenty big enough. And besides we were thinking we might get up a
baseball game against the Longley bunch.”
“Right-o!” cried Fred.
“And we’ll wallop them good and plenty,” said Spouter.
“Why can’t we challenge ’em right away?” asked Andy impatiently.
“No, we’d better wait until the other fellows get here. They may not
want to stay that long and they may not want to play in a match.”
“Oh, nonsense! They’ll play quick enough.” Nevertheless, it was decided
that no challenge should be issued until the other boys were on hand.
Now that Jeff was gone, the boys felt more at home than ever. They
could do exactly as they pleased with no older person to interfere.
“Gif, you’ll have to make out a regular schedule for us to follow,”
said Jack. “You’re at the head of the camp, you know.”
“Fiddlesticks!” cried Gif. “You fellows have as much to say here as I
have. This is an every-man-for-himself camp.”
Just the same a schedule was made out, the boys taking turns in pairs
at cooking while the others took turns at making beds and cleaning
up generally. This schedule worked out very well, and while some of
the things may not have been cooked as well as if the colored man had
served them, nobody complained.
The boys had not forgotten about the big black bear, and on the
following day all set out on a hunt. Each carried firearms of some
sort, and they likewise took with them a substantial lunch, for there
was no telling when they would get back to the bungalow.
“Now that Jeff is gone, I guess we’d better lock up the bungalow,” said
Gif. “We don’t want any tramps or wild animals to get into it.”
“What about the boats?” questioned Spouter.
“Oh, we’ll leave them tied up. I think they’ll be safe enough. We can
put the oars in the house.” And this was done.
Gif was acquainted with the path that ran along the lakeshore, and he
led the way with the others following close behind. They passed through
some heavy brushwood, and then made their way around and over a series
of rough rocks.
“Say, this puts me in mind of some of the climbing we did when we
located that cave where those fellows had the German submarine,”
remarked Fred, referring to a time which has been described in detail
in the volume entitled “The Rover Boys Under Canvas.”
“Gee, but those were exciting times!” said Jack.
“Oh, we’ve had some other exciting times since then,” came from Randy.
“Don’t forget our days down in Texas and out at Big Horn Ranch.”
The six lads pressed on, Gif and Jack somewhat in advance and the
others following more slowly. Spouter brought up the rear, for he was
very apt at times to stop to view the situation.
“I never saw more beautiful views,” said he, as he came to a halt at
a point where the path overlooked the sparkling lake. “Every turn is
beautiful enough to drive an artist crazy. I wish I could paint. I’d
like to spend the whole summer doing some of these scenes.”
“We’ve got to pay more attention to taking pictures, Spouter,” answered
Randy. “A nice collection of photos will give us something to remember
this outing by.”
As they walked through the woods they started up some small game, but
did not attempt to do any shooting, not being certain in regard to the
game laws. Besides, they knew that a shot would frighten the bear if
it was anywhere in that vicinity. They had small cameras along and
occasionally stopped to snap a picture or two.
Presently they reached the rocky point where the bear had been seen.
They approached cautiously, thinking that bruin might possibly be in
sight. But nothing came to view.
“I bet this is a good cove for fishing,” remarked Fred. “I’m quite sure
I saw some fish stirring around over there just now.”
“Well, we’re not out for fish now,” answered Gif. “We want to get on
the trail of Mr. Bear if we can.”
Leaving the point of rocks, the six cadets plunged into the woods,
following a trail which they knew must have been made by wild animals.
As they advanced they spread out a little to the right and to the left,
always, however, keeping within sight of each other.
“We’ve got to do that,” cautioned Jack. “Otherwise some of us may get
lost, and it would be a serious business to get lost in such a thick
woods as this is.”
“It certainly is an ideal spot for wild animals,” said Spouter. “I
wonder if there are any deer here?”
“Sure!” answered Gif. “But whether we’ll see any or not is another
story.”
“It wouldn’t do us any good if we did see some deer,” said Randy. “It’s
out of season to shoot them.”
“That’s true.”
On and on went the six boys, deeper and deeper into the forest. The
trail which was fairly well defined led up a small hill, and here they
came to an opening from which they could see for several miles around.
“Here is a pretty good view of the lake,” observed Spouter. “And see!
There are some rowboats!”
“Wonder if they are the rowboats belonging to the Longley boys,”
remarked Jack.
“There is a motor-boat off to the north,” said Randy. “I suppose that’s
one of the boats belonging to Beldane. I understand they have several
of them up at the hotel.”
Having rested for a short while on the hill, they took up the trail
once more and plunged down into the forest on the other side. Here,
after only a few rods had been covered, they found the trail spreading
into three forks.
“Now, then, which fork shall we follow?” questioned Jack.
“Don’t ask me,” answered Gif. “You know as much about it as I do.”
The six lads examined the three forks as best they could, and after a
brief discussion decided to follow that leading southward.
“There is no use of getting too far from home,” said Gif. “As it is,
we’ll be pretty tired by the time we get back.”
By noon the six boys were tired and hungry and perfectly willing to
rest for the midday lunch. They had brought sandwiches, crackers and
cake with them, and washed this food down with some water from a nearby
spring. They took their time over the meal, and then rested for another
half hour before resuming their hunt.
“Looks as if we were going to be skunked,” remarked Randy presently,
after they had climbed up the side of a rough hill and then down again.
“Don’t say anything about skunks,” retorted Gif. “That’s one animal we
don’t care to hit.”
“Oh, a skunk skin is quite valuable in these days,” said Spouter. “Just
the same, I think we’ll leave those animals alone.”
Several times they stirred up some rabbits and squirrels, and often
came across some birds. Once they heard a covey of partridges whirring
upward, but they were almost out of sight behind the trees.
“There must be some pretty good hunting here in the late fall,”
remarked Fred. He was sorry that they could not bring down some of the
small game.
“Yes, it would be great to come up here when the season is open,”
answered Gif.
All this time the boys were keeping their eyes wide open for the
possible appearance of a bear. But either there were no bears in that
vicinity or the animals knew enough to keep out of sight.
“Gee! I’m getting dog tired,” remarked Andy, about the middle of
the afternoon. “If you’ll ask me, I’ll say let’s head back for the
bungalow.”
“I second the motion,” said his twin promptly.
All were tired, even though they did not care to admit it, and, coming
to a small watercourse, they decided to follow this until they could
once more reach the lakeshore.
“I think it will bring us close to the bungalow,” said Gif. “In fact,
I’m of the opinion it’s the brook that flows into the lake right beside
the house.”
“You mean the brook that Jeff got his bath in?” asked Andy.
“That’s it. Of course I may be mistaken, but I think it’s the same
brook.”
It was no easy matter to follow the watercourse, because the bushes
were rather thick on either side and they did not wish to get their
feet wet if it could be avoided. However, they kept on steadily, and
soon came to an open spot where going was a bit easier.
“What’s the matter with one of us shinning up a tree to see just where
the lake is located?” remarked Jack presently.
“That’s the idea!” called out Fred. “Andy, you’re the best monkey of
the bunch. Let me give you a boost up this tree.”
Andy was willing to go up the tree mentioned, and in a moment several
of the others had given him a lift to the lower branches, and up he
went hand over hand until he was almost at the top of the tree.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” he called down. “The lake isn’t
more than half a mile off.”
“Can you see the bungalow?” questioned Gif.
“I can see something in the trees, but whether it’s the bungalow or not
I’m not sure.”
“Look! Look!” burst suddenly from Spouter. “Andy, take care of
yourself!” he shouted.
“What’s the trouble?” came from the top of the tree.
“Some animal is there, on one of the branches just below you! I don’t
know what it is,” was Spouter’s quick reply.