"Come here and I'll pick you up," sang out Giant merrily, as soon as he saw his chum was not hurt.
"That was a peachy fall," grumbled Snap, as he turned over and got up.
"Glad the gun didn't go off."
"Do you know what I am going to do—if it doesn't snow too hard?" said Giant, as they walked on again. "Try my luck at fishing through a hole in the ice. Fish will taste good for breakfast."
They were directly in the middle of the lake when a distant gunshot reached their ears, followed by another. They halted and listened.
"Whopper and Shep must have found something to shoot at," remarked the smaller member of the Gun Club.
"Or else there are other hunters in this vicinity. I shouldn't be surprised if Jed Sanborn is out."
"Yes, and a dozen others, for the matter of that."
By the time they had crossed the lake the wind was blowing furiously, sending the snow whirling over the smooth ice in long white streaks. More than half out of breath, the two young hunters were glad enough to reach the shelter of the trees and bushes.
"It's going to be a corker," was Snap's comment. "Just listen to the wind whistling through the trees!"
"I don't think I'll try fishing just yet," said Giant. "I might get frozen fast to the ice."