“I’m not going to chase him,” Tim promised.
“We won’t have to stand guard,” was Mac’s opinion. “I’m a pretty light sleeper, and maybe I’ll wake up if anything goes wrong. We’ll hope he doesn’t come back again.”
Little more was said, and the boys went to sleep, thoroughly exhausted. They had not slept well since coming to Lake Arrowtip, and there was no guarantee that they would not be disturbed before morning, but they went to sleep trusting that all would be well. This time good fortune was on their side, and they slept soundly until somewhat late in the morning. The mattresses were soft and comfortable, and the room was warm most of the night. Barry was the first to awaken, and when he had looked around and noted that his companions were still asleep, he lowered his head and slept for another half-hour.
Mac was the first to get up, and he looked at the clock. “Eight-thirty!” he whistled. “For the love of Mike, what hardy campers we are!” He reached over and took the poker and proceeded to beat on the side of the coal scuttle. “Wake up, the enemy is upon you!”
The others quickly woke up and looked around the room in some confusion. “You’re the only enemy we have!” growled Kent.
“That’s a sign that you are a great man,” chuckled Mac. “All great men have enemies!”
For breakfast they finished up the pork and beans left from the previous night. Most of their provisions were on the sled, and as soon as they had set the lodge in order they prepared to set off for the woods to find the missing vehicle. It had stopped snowing sometime during the night, and the sun was struggling to come out of the gray clouds.
“I guess the spook didn’t come back last night,” Tim remarked, as they started out.
“If he did, I didn’t hear him,” Barry declared. “I slept like a log the whole night. Not even a dream disturbed me.”
“I wasn’t quite as lucky as that,” Kent told them. “I kept dreaming over and over again that I was wandering around in circles. But I didn’t hear anything, not even Mac’s snores!”