“I’ll surprise you young gen’lemen, you see if I don’t,” said the colored man. “And I’ll surprise that Mr. Stevenson, too.”
“All right, Jeff,” said Gif, “you can remain here just as long as you make good. The minute you fail in your duties you’ll have to leave.”
It was growing dark when the boys heard the put-put of a motor-boat coming from the lake, and soon the craft rounded a point of the shore and glided up to the bungalow dock.
“Hello, Mr. Stevenson! Glad to see you!” cried Jack, as he ran down to the dock.
“And I’m glad to get here,” answered Ruth’s father, as he leaped from the boat and shook hands. “Great news you fellows sent me.”
“I certainly hope it proves all right,” returned the young major.
“I’m impatient to learn the details,” continued Frederic Stevenson. And then he went on: “How about it, Gif? Can you take care of the man who has the motor-boat? I thought we might be able to use that craft in getting around the lake.”
“Sure, we can,” answered Gif readily. “There are empty rooms galore in this place and we have plenty on hand to eat. We can give you a real treat to-night. We have some bear steaks.”
“Good gracious! did you shoot a bear?” came from the man who ran the motor-boat.