As has been said, the lodge was well furnished and that night the boys slept almost as comfortably as if they had been at home. They left a low fire burning so that their garments might dry out and none of them stirred until the sun was well up in the heavens.
“No use of going on an outing if you can’t take your time about it,” remarked Gif, as he arose and stretched himself.
“Let’s be thankful we’re not in an encampment at Colby Hall,” answered Andy. “If we were, Major Jack would have us all up at daybreak and on the parade ground,” and he grinned at his cousin.
“Attention!” came suddenly from the former major of the Colby Hall battalion, and, taken off their guard, Andy, Randy and Spouter leaped up and stood as straight as ramrods. Then came a burst of laughter from Jack and the others, and even the victims of his little joke could not help but join in.
The various happenings of the day before had tired all of the lads, and they were perfectly content to take it easy that day. The sun came out warmly and soon all traces of the storm had passed. The boys lolled around in the sun or in the shade as suited them, resting and telling stories.
“I wish I knew what had brought Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell to this neighborhood,” remarked Jack. “I’m sure they wouldn’t come up here excepting for some especial purpose.”
“It certainly is queer that Slugger looked in at your window,” said Spouter. “He’s a bad egg. You’d better keep your eyes peeled for him.”
“And then to think they stopped at that farmhouse where we shot the crows,” put in Fred. “That shows that they can’t be so very far from this neighborhood.”
“Maybe they’ll try some such game as the Davenport crowd did,” suggested Spouter. “You’d feel fine if you were kidnapped again, wouldn’t you, Jack?”
“Well, we got the best of the Davenport crowd,” answered the former major of the Colby Hall battalion. “Maybe we could get ahead of Slugger and his bunch too, not to say anything of that sneak, Nappy Martell.”