"Didn't hurt 'em a mite," said the old hunter. "But they couldn't have stayed in the water much longer."
"It was lucky the boat went over where the water was shallow," said Giant. "Had the water been deep perhaps we shouldn't have gotten back a thing."
After the old hunter had departed with the deer, the boys set to work in earnest to fix up their camp once more. Some of the things had been spoiled by the heavy storm, but Ham Spink had "made good," as Snap said, so nothing was really lost, so far as the young hunters were concerned.
After several days of rest the boys felt once more in proper trim for sport, and went out after a bunch of rabbits and squirrels. They were fairly lucky, and three o'clock of the afternoon found them on the return to the camp.
"Let us look for some nuts," suggested Whopper.
The others were willing, and made their way to a group of trees growing some distance up the lake shore. Nuts were to be had in plenty, and soon they had their pockets and the corners of their game-bags well filled.
"I see another tree with some extra large nuts!" cried Shep.
"Come on!"
He led the way to the tree in question, which grew on a bit of land projecting far out into the lake. They soon had some of the big nuts and were about to return whence they had come, when Snap uttered a cry:
"A snake!"
"Where?" came from the others.