"It is easy enough to say go after the tramp, but where are you going to find him?" said Whopper. "We went after those deer, but we didn't get any."
"If he put on the skates, he must have taken to the lake," answered
Snap. "Anyway, I don't think it will hurt to look around."
"Somebody ought to stay at camp and watch things," said Shep.
"Whopper, will you do that?"
"Yes."
"Then you can lend your skates to me, while I go after Mr. Kiddy
Leech," said Snap.
So it was arranged, and a few minutes later Snap, Shep and Giant set out to look for the tramp who had so unceremoniously disappeared.
"If he took to skating he most likely went down to Lake Cameron," said Snap. "From there he could get to the river and go wherever he pleased."
Once on the ice the three boys skated around on the lake until they saw other skate marks. These they began to follow and soon saw that they led down towards the neck that connected Firefly Lake with Lake Cameron.
"I believe he did not imagine we'd get back so soon," said Giant. "He reckoned on getting over Lake Cameron to the river before we could spot him."
Wherever there was a ridge of snow on the ice they could see the marks left by the tramp quite plainly. They skated with vigor, for they felt that Kiddy Leech would do all in his power to escape.