"You can have this boat as soon as the wind lets up," said Giant.
"And what of the deer?"
"You can take the smallest," said Snap. "But mind, don't touch the others, or it will be the worse for you!" he added, sternly.
It was dark and blowing a full gale when the four young hunters embarked. They realized that the journey to their camp would be a perilous one, and wished that the other crowd was more friendly, so that they could remain with them all night. But they had not been asked to stay and were too proud to mention it.
"Phew! but this is a sockdollager!" was Whopper's comment. "Blowing about two thousand miles an hour, I guess. I hope it doesn't send us to the bottom."
"Don't be so cheerful," said Shep. "Boys, we have got to do some nice work with the oars, or else ship a lot of water," he added, gazing out on the black and angry lake.
"Well, come on," said Giant. "The sooner we get at it the sooner we'll be on the other side."
All took their places at the oars, and a few strokes sufficed to send them well out into Firefly Lake. Here they felt the full force of the breeze, and in a twinkling Shep's cap was blown from his head.
"My cap!"
"Here it is," answered Snap, passing it over. "Say, boys, this is a corker sure! Can anybody see ahead?"