"Whoever was here evidently fitted himself to camp out," observed
Shep. "I wish we could catch him! I'd give him a piece of my mind."
"So would I," added Whopper.
All were too tired, however, to hunt for the interloper and all they did that evening was to get supper and take it easy. When they turned in it was raining, but by midnight the stars came out one by one.
"After this I shall hate to leave the camp all alone for fear somebody will run off with our things," remarked Snap, while at breakfast.
"Just the way I feel about it," answered Shep. "Yet we can't watch the things all the time."
For several days they remained close to the camp and then received a second visit from Jed Sanborn.
He reported that everything was going on well at Fairview, and listened to what they had to tell with much interest.
"Yes, you must get those deer by all means," he said. "But about the feller that come here and took your things. He must have been a mean critter an' no mistake!"
Jed Sanborn was quite willing to go out with them after the deer, and the start was made on the following morning. They were soon across Firefly Lake, and then the old hunter showed the boys an easy trail over the hill and up the distant mountain.
"Gracious! This beats going through the bushes!" cried Giant.