"Perhaps it was a bear," said Pud with one of his great inspirations.
"Why to be sure," said Bill. "These bears up here have regular pouches like the Australian kangaroo and I'll bet if we could see mother bear just now she'd be waddling up some rocky place, her pouch filled with flour, bacon, salt and other dainties for the little cubbies."
Everybody laughed at this but no one had any further suggestion.
"I really can't figure it out," said Mr. Waterman, more seriously. "The worst of it is that this is not the first time this has happened. We have said nothing about it but the same thing happened about ten days ago. Then we scoured the camp and could not find a trace of the thief. Jack tells me that the four of them have been all over the lake to every trail and that they have seen nothing."
"Let's organize a real hunt after lunch," said Bob eagerly.
"That's just what I was thinking of doing," replied Mr. Waterman.
Everything was hurried through. Bob and Pud forgot the weariness they had felt while lost that morning. Four different parties hurried away after they had eaten. Bob and Mr. Waterman went together and they made for the trail that led up north.
"I figure it out," said Mr. Waterman, "that whoever it is that has been at our cook tent came from the north."
"Well, it isn't far to Escoumains and any one in real trouble would find food there. It's probably some stray Indian who is afraid of being arrested for some crime if he goes back to the settlements. I can't figure out anything else."