Edward Stratemeyer

“ Jed Sanborn crouched low and wormed his way to some bushes fringing the glade, and the young hunters did the same.
It was a thrilling sight and it made the boys tremble in eager anticipation. Not a word was spoken, for they scarcely dared to breathe.
In a minute each hunter had his gun into position, Giant resting on a rock and Whopper in the crotch of a low tree.
"I'll take the buck," whispered Jed Sanborn. "Ready?"
"Yes."
"Then fire!"
Crack! went the several firearms, in a scattering volley, and the buck and one of the others pitched headlong, not to rise. ”

“ Hearing this, both Snap and Shep lost not a moment in going to Whopper's assistance. He was on the point of going down when they caught hold of him and brought him over to the rowboat.
As best they could all four of the young hunters climbed up on the keel of the boat, placing Whopper between them.
"It's as cold as Greenland," said Whopper. "What are we to do?"
"I don't know—-drift, I reckon," answered Snap.
"The wind will carry us down the lake," said Giant, who appeared to suffer the least of all. "But I say, boys, all of our guns are gone, and other things, too!" ”

“ The boys started off in the best of spirits, taking to a trail the old hunter had pointed out to them. There had been a flurry of snow during the night, but this was soon melted by the sun which, at breakfast time, had come out as brightly as ever.
"What a beautiful spot this is!" said Giant, gazing back to the lake before plunging into the woods. "It is strange that so few folks come up here to camp."
"Well, it's lucky for us," answered Whopper. "We shouldn't care for many—-especially of the Andrew Felps kind." ”

“ Then the boys on shore drew a sigh of relief.
"What rowdies!" declared one boy, who was as dudish as Spink. "I really believe they would have shot us, don't you know!"
"Very, very rude," said the youth who had thrown one of the tomatoes.
"They ought to be locked up for threatening us," declared Ham Spink. "It is an outrage that we cannot come here for an outing without being bothered by such low creatures."
"I tell you what we can do," piped in one of the crowd. "Let us go over to their camp some day when they are away and hide all their things on them." ”

“ The four young hunters gazed at each other sheepishly enough. Their long tramp had been all in vain.
"We're a lot of doughheads," grumbled Shep. "Come all the way for those deer and then——-Oh, say, let's go back home!"
"I wasn't thinking the deer would come this way," said Snap. "But this proves the truth of Jed Sanborn's words. He told me when I went hunting I must be ready for a shot all the time."
There was an awkward silence. The boys were bitterly chagrined.
"Can't we follow them up again?" asked Giant.
"Not to-night," answered Whopper. "They may go several miles before they stop. ”

“ To their delight, two of the traps held beavers; and to their astonishment, the third trap held a muskrat.
"Hullo! here is something I wasn't looking for!" cried Snap.
"He's a fine haul," he added, looking the muskrat over.
"And the beavers are fine, too," added Shep. "Boys, I think we can count ourselves lucky and no mistake."
"Let us set the traps again," said Whopper, who was excited over the haul. This was done, and the boy hunters returned to their camp well pleased at what they had caught.
"I wish we'd get something in the bear trap," said Giant. ”

“ 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." ”

“ CHAPTER XII SHEP AND THE HOLLOW TREE 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." ”

“ A minute later half a dozen fat rabbits crossed their path directly in front of them. The temptation to bring the game down was strong, but they resisted, not wishing to make any noise. A little later they heard two gunshots at a distance.
"Some of the men must be out hunting," observed Giant.
"Gracious! I hope they don't mistake us for game," cried Whopper.
"Let us walk more in the open," answered Snap. "Then they can't make any mistake."
The way was rocky and uneven, and long before they came in sight of their first camp the boys were somewhat footsore and weary. ”

“ CHAPTER XVI A SUCCESSFUL DEER HUNT While they were in the cave all thought concerning the deer had been vanished, but now they were at liberty once more the four young hunters were just as eager as ever to get a shot at the game.
"We must hurry if we want to do anything," said Snap. "It is such a gloomy day that it will be dark soon and then the deer will surely give us the slip." ”

“ If we try to get back to our camp we may get lost and also take our death of cold. The quicker we start a fire the better it will be for us."
"All right, start a fire," said Whopper. "But it is going to be no easy matter—-with all the wood so wet."
"Look yonder, boys!" cried Giant. "Am I mistaken, or do I see a light?"
"It certainly is a light," said Shep, looking in the direction pointed out—-a place quite a distance from the lake. "Maybe some other campers are around."
"I hope so," said Snap. "Perhaps we can get something to eat." ”

“ Each had his weapon ready for use, and each advanced with as little noise as possible.
The deer were in a little glade, cropping the tender grass around a small spring. They were six in number, including a fair-sized buck, who occasionally raised his head, as if on guard. But the wind, as Jed Sanborn had said, was blowing directly from the deer to the hunters, so nothing in the air gave the game the alarm until it was too late. ”

“ 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." ”

“ The boys did not fire, however, being determined to do nothing to scare the deer away, should the game be within hearing.
When, about noon, they came to a clear spring of water, they were glad enough to sit down and rest and partake of their noonday lunch, washing it down with copious draughts of water.
"Folks can say what they please," remarked Whopper, smacking his lips. "When one is good and dry, nothing is so satisfying as a drink of plain, clear water." ”

“ Snap, you are getting to be a wonder with the rifle. Why, even old Jed Sanborn couldn't do better than that."
Charley Dodge, a bright, manly boy of fifteen, laid down the rifle on the counter in the shooting gallery and smiled quietly. "I guess it was more luck than anything, Shep," he replied. "Perhaps I couldn't do it again."
"Nonsense," came from Sheppard Reed, also a boy of fifteen. "You have got it in you to shoot straight and that is all there is to it. I only wish I could shoot as well." ”

“ The deer were young and tender, and the buck had a fine head, fit for mounting.
"This haul will open the eyes of the Spink crowd," remarked Whopper.
"If they weren't so mean we might send them some venison," said Shep.
"They wouldn't thank you for it," broke in Giant. "They are too high-toned for that sort of thing."
With so much game the boys hardly knew what to do. The deer were heavy and it was all two of them cared to do carrying one between them, hung from a pole.
"Well, we have got to get them to the lake somehow," said Snap.
"So the sooner we get at the job the better. Don't grumble." ”

“ Ham is good and sweet!"
"You stop that!" roared Ham Spink, and then, as a dozen boys on the dock took up the darky song, he turned and strode away, with his rather short nose tilted high in the air.
"Do you think he'll call on our folks about this?" whispered Whopper, somewhat anxiously. "I shouldn't like to leave under a cloud."
"Oh! he hasn't got backbone enough to make trouble," answered
Shep. But Shep was mistaken, as we shall learn later.
The rowboat was now some distance from the dock, and with a final wave of the hand the boys began the journey to Lake Cameron. ”

“ In that space of time the negro darted back of some trees and was lost to view.
"Look out, boys, he'll shoot ye sure!" said Simon Lundy, in a voice full of fear.
"He has gone," announced Snap.
"Are all of our things safe?" asked Shep, anxiously.
"We'll soon find out," put in Whopper, and leaped from one boat into the other. All made a hasty examination and found everything intact. Even their weapons had not been touched, for which they were exceedingly thankful.
"He wasn't expecting us," explained Giant. "He thought he'd get time later to go through our belongings." ”

“ The fire extinguished, they set off on their journey and were soon a goodly distance from the lake. The snow had disappeared and the day promised to be an unusually warm one. They did not look for any game, and when a rabbit crossed their path nobody shot at it.
"We are after other game to-day," observed Snap, grimly.
"If only we have the same success as we had when we caught that nigger," came from Whopper. "That was dead easy."
"I don't think we'll catch him asleep," said Shep. "He is a wide-awake fellow, if nothing else." ”

“ I once heard of a man who shot two hundred wild turkeys in a day."
"I don't call that sport," put in Giant. "I call that butchery."
"So do I," answered Snap. "Even as it is, I sometimes think we are shooting too much."
"Well, if we don't bring the game down somebody else will," said
Whopper.
"Some day they'll have to pass some more laws, protecting game," was Shep's comment. "If they don't, there won't be anything to shoot inside of the next fifteen or twenty years."
"My father said that some folks were advocating a law to stop all deer-shooting for two years or longer," said Shep. ”

“ They tried to turn, but before they could make any progress felt the brushwood sinking rapidly. Then came a crashing of branches and vines, and down slipped all four of the young hunters, from the bright light of day into utter darkness!
All gave yells, for they were thoroughly frightened. They were pitched together in a heap, and held tight to one another as they went down, first a distance of fifteen or twenty feet and then twice further.
"We are in water!" gasped Shep, when he could speak. The water was up to their ankles, but speedily it reached their knees. ”

“ Finish 'em up!" yelled Jed Sanborn, and led in the chase, across the glade and into the brushwood beyond. Here they caught sight of the limping deer, and all of the boys gave it a shot, which finished it in short order.
"Three, anyway," was the old hunter's comment. "Not so bad."
"You brought down the buck and Snap brought down the deer near him," said Whopper.
"And all of you brought down the third one," said Snap. "I think as
Jed says, it is not such a bad haul."
"Can we get the others?" asked Giant, anxiously. "I want to do better than I have." ”

“ The young hunters rowed up the lake with all speed, and, landing, tied their craft fast among the bushes.
"This will be an all-day chase, I guess," said Giant.
"Well, what of it?" returned Whopper. "Our time is our own. I hope we get at least one deer."
The young hunters soon passed out of sight of the shore, and a moment later another rowboat appeared, containing Ham Spink and his particular crony, Dick Bush. ”

“ All leaped out of danger and the next moment down came a mass of dirt, rocks and brushwood, scattering in all directions. The downfall left a hole all of two yards in diameter, and they could easily look out on the sky.
"Hurrah!" cried Whopper. "This is how the young hunters escape from their underground dungeon cell!"
The fall of the dirt and rocks had left a mound on the center of the cave floor, and by mounting this they were enabled to pull themselves to the earth's surface. It is safe to say that never were boys more delighted to get out of a hole. ”

“ 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 once did an errand for him in town and he hardly gave me a thank you for it."
"If he catches us he will make it warm."
"We'll keep our eyes peeled."
After a few words more the rowboat was run up under some bushes and all leaped ashore. They made their way through the bushes into the orchard proper and then hurried for the tree that seemed to be bearing the best of the fruit.
"These apples are certainly all right," remarked Shep, biting into one which was extra juicy. "We may as well take all we can carry of them." ”

“ 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. ”