“Maybe they are no sportsmen,” returned Jack. “It is very seldom that tramps are. And, besides, if they would steal our traps, they wouldn’t hesitate to carry off some farmer’s chickens.”
“There doesn’t seem to be any one around,” went on Harry, after a pause, in which all of the party surveyed the situation as closely as possible.
“Perhaps they have gone off on a hunt. Hullo!” Jack went on, in a loud voice.
No answer came back, and no one appeared in sight, so, without further hesitation, the five boys walked boldly into the camp and began to inspect it.
As has been said, their sled stood upon the outside of the lean-to. Inside were their traps, nothing missing but a plate or two and one of the pots.
“Thank fortune we have recovered our stuff!” exclaimed Jack. “Had it been otherwise, our tour would have come to a most inglorious end.”
“These fellows have blankets and cooking utensils of their own,” remarked Harry. “Now, what could possess them to steal our stuff?”
“They expected to cart it off and sell it, most likely,” replied Andy. “Those blankets would bring ten or twelve dollars at least, and the other articles several dollars more.”
“Shall we wait here till they come back?” asked Boxy.
“Certainly we’ll wait,” returned Jack. “We’ll give them a piece of our mind if nothing else.”