“We can take turns at rowing,” said Gif. “That will give each fellow a chance to rest. We can take our own time, too, because it isn’t so very much of a trip.”
“Let’s row in and out among the Cat and Kittens,” suggested Jack. “I’ve been wanting to land on those islands ever since we came to the bungalow.”
“You won’t find much of a landing place, Jack. Every one of the islands is covered with brushwood to the water’s edge, as you can see.”
The boys rowed around the larger island and then in and out among the four which were smaller. As Gif had said, they found each of them heavily wooded and did not see a single place where a good landing could be made.
“If anybody wanted to build on any of these islands he’d have a job clearing the ground,” was Spouter’s comment. “Not a single spot where a fellow could run a boat ashore. You’d have to fairly fight your way through the bushes.”
“That’s what makes them so beautiful,” said Fred. “I never saw prettier islands anywhere—not even over at Lake George.”
Having gone around all the Cat and Kittens, they set out for the eastern shore of Big Bear Lake, heading for the cove into which the recovered rowboat had drifted.
“We might possibly pick up one or both of the oars we lost,” said Randy. “I’d like to get them back.”
“Oh, Randy, you mustn’t worry about those oars,” put in Gif. “They were not worth a fortune, and we’ve got several extra pairs up at the bungalow, as you know.”
Nevertheless, with plenty of time on hand, the boys spent the best part of an hour skirting the cove and looking into every corner where they thought the oars might have drifted. Once they thought they saw one of the oars, but the object proved to be nothing more than a sunken log.