Ralph Bonehill

“ But Uncle Pierre wasn't really crazy—he was only queer—and that lightning bolt burning up his beloved manuscripts unset him completely."
"I hope you'll get that money some day, Giant," said Snap. "I wouldn't give up trying for it so easily."
"When I am a man and can afford it, I am going to France and try to hunt it up," answered the small youth.
"Does your mother ever say anything about it?" questioned Shep.
"Not much. She hates to think of my uncle. She was very much attached to him, and to have him disappear like that makes her shudder and feel very bad." ”

“ Then they gazed at each other questioningly and stood their ground.
"We want to talk to you!" cried Snap. "We know you are a humbug."
"Yes, and we know all about your parrot," adde the doctor's son. He did not deem it wise to mention that they had killed the talking bird.
"Go away! Go away!" answered the figure in yellow. "This forest is mine! The lake is mine! Go away, ere it is too late!"
"I believe that man is crazy!" whispered Whopper. "Maybe he thinks he owns the earth!"
"He is certainly no ghost," answered Snap. "But if he is crazy, we'll have to be careful how we approach him. ”

“ The noise aroused the others, and all sat up. By this time the match had gone out, but Giant promptly struck another and then lit the camp lantern. Whopper gazed at the hole in the tent ruefully.
"That's too bad," said Snap. "We'll have to mend that, the first chance we get."
"We can't mend it to-night," answered Shep. "Gracious! just listen to it rain!"
The boys sat up for quite awhile listening to the rain, but presently they grew tired again and one after another dropped off to sleep. Whopper found a dry spot next to Giant; and thus they rested until daylight. ”

“ And that was all that was said by the Spink crowd.
"That ghost must have been something awful to look at," was Shep's remark, as he and his chums rowed back to camp. "If ever a crowd was scared they were."
"Well, if the ghost visits us maybe we'll be scared too," answered Giant. "I don't believe in bragging until I've experienced a thing."
"Giant doesn't want to be like the man who bragged of what he would do in case of a fire at his house," said Whopper. ”

“ The lads hustled into the bushes and in a very few minutes Snap appeared in his bathing outfit and was followed by Shep.
"Beat you in!" cried the doctor's son, but hardly had he spoken when Snap made a leap and landed into the river with a loud splash. Shep came after him, and both disappeared under the surface, to come up a second later, thrashing around wildly.
"Whew! it isn't so warm as I thought!" ejaculated Shep. "No Turkish bath about this!" And he gave a slight shiver.
"You'll soon get used to it," replied Snap. "It's always the first plunge that takes the breath out of a fellow." ”

“ Whopper cut one in two with his hatchet and Snap crushed another with his heel. Then, as they came close to the tent, Shep hit a third with a saucepan and Giant kicked a fourth into the water. But by this time at least thirty snakes were in sight, and not knowing what else to do, the young hunters ran for the rowboat and tumbled into that. One snake went with Whopper, twined around his foot, but that youth kicked it loose and sent it squirming into the water.
"Did you ever see the like!" gasped Giant. "Why, the woods must be full of snakes!"
"We must be close to Lake Narsac," answered Snap. ”

“ The wust thing I know about Lake Narsac is the ghost up thar."
"Is there really and truly a ghost?" queried the doctor's son. "Of course, I don't believe in them," he added, hastily.
"If ye don't believe in 'em why do ye ask about 'em?" demanded the old hunter, rather indignantly. ”

“ Snap did not stand upon the order of his going, but went at once. Without a thing with which to defend himself, he had no desire to come into contact with such a savage creature as a wildcat, and, consequently, he dropped back into the water in a hurry and started back for the shore. He almost fancied he heard the wildcat splash in after him, and a chill crept down his backbone which was not caused by the night air.
"Hello! hello!" he yelled to Shep.
"Got the boat?" came back the cry.
"Not much! Get your shotgun ready and fire a shot into the air." ”

“ And the tears ran down the cheeks of the man.
"Uncle Pierre, you must give up your lonely life here," said Giant, after a pause. "You must come home with me."
At this suggestion the hermit, for the man was nothing less, shook his head vigorously. He was certainly queer—talking sometimes quite rationally and at others in a rambling fashion. He told how he had come to make his home in the mountains, how he had once visited a large city and purchased three parrots and brought them to the wilderness, and how one parrot had died and another had been shot. ”

“ With great care the four boys started to stalk the deer, as it is called. Snap led the way, and never was an Indian hunter more careful of his steps. He knew that the deer's ears were wide open for any unusual sound and even the cracking of a dry stick would attract their attention.
The journey over the rocks and through the timber was a laborious one. In some spots the undergrowth was so thick that further progress seemed, at first, impossible. Once Giant got caught so completely that the others had to help him free himself. ”

“ A piercing yell of terror came up from below, and down dropped Ham and Carl into the water once more. They were too afraid to come up under the boathouse again and so struck out for the river bank some distance away.
"They are going away!" called out Shep. "They are two desperate burglars! Give them another shot!"
"Perhaps they have been robbing some stores," called out Snap. Then he discharged the shotgun once more, and down ducked Ham and Carl again, yelling wildly in their fright. They swam with energy and soon reached the shelter of another boathouse. ”

“ The next instant he felt one of the wounded turkeys strike his face. He caught the game by the legs and then received a peck in the hand that drew blood. Before the turkey could do any more harm the young hunter stunned it by a blow against the tree and then finished it. In the meantime the other hen was killed by Whopper, while Jed Sanborn took his gun and poked the gobbler out of the tree crotch and despatched him.
"Certainly a good haul, boys," said the old hunter, when the temporary excitement was over. "You'll have turkey meat enough to last some time." ”

“ Nearby was the remains of a campfire, with sticks, an iron chain, and a big iron pot over it.
"I didn't notice this camp when we came up," said Whopper.
"All the folks here must be asleep," said Snap. But as he spoke a man came from one of the tents and stared at them. It was Andrew Felps, the rich lumber merchant who owned much of the land around the lake and who had treated them so meanly the summer and the winter previous.
"Hi, you!" roared Felps. "What are you doing around here?"
"Looking for our boat," answered Snap. ”

“ The body of the bear was cold and stiff, showing that it had died shortly after being shot. It was a good-sized creature, and the young hunters felt justly proud of their quarry.
"I knew we'd get plenty of small game, but I was afraid we wouldn't get a bear," said Whopper.
"A bear always tops off a hunt," said Snap.
"That or a moose," put in Giant. "I'd like to get a crack at a good, big moose."
"I am afraid you want too much in this life," answered Snap, with a 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. ”

“ At last the rowboats slid off the sand bar, and then they pulled to the point of land without further mishap.
No one could tell where they were, but Snap, Giant and Whopper imagined the spot must be half a mile or more below their camp. They had landed in a wild place, and walking along the shore was out of the question.
"We might as well stay where we are until morning," said Snap. "If we try to move in this darkness we may only fall into more trouble." ”

“ By this time it was night and the tiny campfire was a mere glow of hot ashes.
"We might try the other side of the stream," suggested Snap.
"There may be snakes there too," said Giant. "You can do as you please, I am going to stay on the boat until daylight."
"But what are you going to do when you get to the lake? We must camp somewhere?"
"We'll hunt up a snakeless place in the broad daylight. The snakes can't be everywhere." ”

“ Having passed the rocks, they found the stream broadening out once more. The bottom was now muddy, and here and there grew large clumps of reeds and cattails.
"This seems to be more of a swamp than a lake," was the comment of the doctor's son. "From what Jed Sanborn said I thought it was a narrow stream all the way to the lake."
"So did I," added Giant. "I begin to feel that we have made a mistake."
"If we have, you're to blame," grumbled Whopper.
"Oh, you were willing enough to come this direction," answered Giant sharply. "If we are wrong, you needn't blame me." ”

“ No campingers alowed
"Hooper's Pond!" cried Snap. "We certainly have made a mistake!"
"'No campingers alowed,'" read the doctor's son. "His spelling and grammar are not very strong but he knows what he means."
"Well, we don't want to camp here," said Whopper in disgust. "Mr. S. Hooper can keep his pond to himself and welcome." ”

“ When it came time to retire, Snap asked the others if they should post a guard.
"Oh, I think we are safe enough without one," answered the doctor's son, who was fagged out. "Let's chance it."
"Most of our outfit is on the boat," said Whopper. "I don't believe anybody will carry it off."
"Let us fix the fire so it will burn the most of the night," said Giant. "That will scare off any wild animals that may be prowling around." ”