"Well, I've often heard of rats setting fire to buildings by igniting matches," answered Snap.
"Millions of times," came from Whopper. "Rats sometimes do that for a regular business. They make a deal with people who want to get a fat insurance; you know, and then—Oh!" And the remarkable story came to a sudden end as Shep shied a snowball at the youth who loved to exaggerate.
They were soon on the way, Snap, Shep and Giant with their shotguns and Whopper with the rifle. They headed directly along the shore of Firefly Lake, intending to make the complete circuit of that sheet of ice.
They had proceeded only a short distance when Snap held up his hand.
"Rabbits," he whispered. "We are in luck!"
"Humph! I wanted to see a bear," grunted Whopper.
"Now, dolt you spoil this for us," remonstrated Snap.
"Let us fire together," whispered Giant. "I see at least a dozen."
The bunch of rabbits were close to the lake front, nibbling the bark from some young shoots growing in that vicinity. Without delay Snap, Shep and Giant brought their shotguns around in position to fire.
"I'll give the signal," said Shep. "Shep, you fire to the left. I can fire to the right, and Giant can blaze away at the middle of the bunch."