"I live only a little ways off, and, if you will go back with me, I will be glad to entertain you over night."
"I'm obliged to you, but I have two friends who are expecting me, up by the rock yonder."
"I judged you belonged to the party, but there is only one of them there, unless the other has come since I left. The one named Harper, who called at my house this afternoon, is there, and has started his camp fire. He is impatient for the others to come in, and asked me to tell you, if we met, that he particularly wished you to 'hurry up your cakes'—I suppose you know what that means."
"I do, and will bid you good-night."
They exchanged pleasant greetings, and separated, each to pursue his own way.
Herbert was anxious to join his friends; for the fact that he had fired into a stump, under the belief that it was a bear, was no proof that the dreaded quadruped was not somewhere in the neighborhood.
As the path, which he was able to keep without difficulty, led by the rock where the three lads were to meet, he had not gone far when he caught the starlike twinkle of a point of light, which told him he was not far from camp.
"Hallo, Sam, are you there?" called out Herbert, while yet a considerable distance off.
"Yes. What makes you so late?" was the impatient response and question.
Without pausing to reply, Herbert hurried forward and a few minutes later joined Sam Harper, who had a large fire going, and had broiled a squirrel and a rabbit, both of which were in fine condition.