"We'll look for you by to-morrow night," said Tommy.
It was an easy matter to climb down the mountain side, but the walk up the hill that separated them from the lake was another story. Yet, as they had only their guns to carry, they made good progress, and by the middle of the afternoon they were in plain sight of the body of water where they had left the boat.
"Somebody ahead of us!" cried Snap presently, and pointed out three persons walking toward the lake.
"I wonder if they can be members of the Spink crowd?" was Shep's comment. "Let us get closer and see"
CHAPTER XVII
WHAT HAPPENED UNDER THE CLIFF
It was presently made evident to our friends that the persons ahead were Ham Spink, Carl Dudder and a lad named Dick Bush, who had in former years been a close personal friend to Ham.
"Wonder where they are going?" asked Snap.
"Down to the lake," answered the doctor's son. "Most likely to where they left their boat."
"Let us keep behind them and out of sight," suggested Giant. "If they see us they may follow us up and damage our boat after we are gone."