“That would be fine,” responded Mr. Bentley cordially. “And I think I can promise you something brand new in the way of experience.”
They sat talking till late and then the party broke up, the forest ranger and Frank Brandon taking a hearty farewell of the boys, as they had to take an early train in the morning.
It was not very hard for the boys to get the required permission from their parents, and Dr. Dale was only too glad to put his lodge at their service. The remaining days of school flew by quickly while they were getting together equipment and supplies for their trip. But when Bob’s father saw the formidable outfit, including a radio set, for both receiving and sending, that Bob proposed to take with him, he threw up his hands with a gesture of dismay.
“If all the rest of you boys intend to take as much apiece as you’ve got, Bob, you’ll need a motor truck,” said Mr. Layton.
“It does look like a lot,” admitted Bob, ruefully. “But there’s hardly anything there that I won’t actually need. There’s no place within miles of the cabin where we can buy stuff.”
“I suppose that’s true,” said Mr. Layton, eyeing the stack of merchandise thoughtfully. “I suppose you’d feel awfully bad if I hired an automobile to take you and the others to Spruce Mountain, wouldn’t you?”
“Dad, we’ll never get over feeling grateful to you if you do!” declared Bob. “It will be the greatest thing that ever happened!”
“Well, in that case, I suppose there’s no choice left me,” declared Mr. Layton, with a twinkle in his eye. “You tell the others I’ll stand for the automobile, and I guess I’d better order an especially big one while I’m about it.”
Bob lost no time in communicating this last bit of good news to the others, and they were all delighted, particularly Jimmy, who had looked forward with considerable apprehension to a long hike through the woods with sixty pounds of food and equipment strapped to his suffering shoulders. To be sure, Dr. Dale had told them that they would find almost everything they would require in the way of furniture and cooking utensils in the cabin, but they had to take all their food with them and several blankets apiece, as Mr. Bentley had warned them that the nights were often cold.
It seemed to the eager boys that the day set for their departure would never arrive, but at length they found themselves, one beautiful summer morning, seated in the big touring car that Mr. Layton had provided and headed for the hunting shack on Spruce Mountain.