"Yes, and how he caught us and then got us to go after the negro who stole the watch," put in Whopper.
"I shouldn't mind having some of his apples now," said Giant. "We ought to have taken apples along."
"There is the orchard now," cried Snap. "But there are no apples to be had this time of year."
"As if we would dare to take them," said Whopper, with a wink of his eye.
As they neared the spot where the orchard ran down to the river shore they heard the sound of an axe and saw Simon Lundy chopping down an old apple tree for firewood. The man was a very close-fisted farmer and was rarely known to do a charitable act.
"How are you, Mr. Lundy!" called out Snap, as he brought one of the sleds to a halt.
"How do ye do," grunted the farmer, and then gave a closer look. "Oh, so it's you fellers ag'in, hey? Goin' campin' once more?
"We are."
"How are your apples getting along?" asked Shep, also halting.
"Didn't have sech a big crop as I expected."