"An extra piece of mince pie to the winning team!" cried the doctor's son merrily as he put on an extra spurt.
Soon the turn of the shore was gained, with the sleds side by side.
Then all of the young hunters gazed ahead.
"Well, I never!"
"If this isn't too bad for anything!"
Such were the exclamations uttered. And there was good cause for their consternation and dismay. Instead of the tidy cabin they had expected to see, nothing but a heap of blackened logs confronted them.
The log cabin had been burnt to the ground.
CHAPTER VII
A DISMAYING DISCOVERY
The hearts of the four young hunters went "down in their boots" as they surveyed the desolate scene before them.
They had spent much hard labor over the cabin which had been their home during a large part of the summer outing, and they had fully expected to find it in the same condition as when they had locked it up and come away.