“Sure he is!” said the old man, with shining eyes. “To-day’s Saturday, you know, and I’ve been a-watching for him, and, unless I’m mistaken, here he comes now!”
The young people looked eagerly in the direction toward which the old man pointed, and they saw a horse and rider coming on a gallop.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A FISH SUPPER
The lake road was only a stone’s throw from the shack, and the boy on horseback was soon at the shore.
“Hello, Daddy Jock!” he cried before he noticed that there were others with his foster-father. Leaping to the ground, he gave an exclamation of pleased surprise, as he cried, “Why, Petey, old man, are you here? I thought you were off somewhere cramming for the entrance examinations.”
The two lads shook hands, but not until Jock Henderson had had a warm hand-clasp from his boy. Everett Peterson laughingly replied, “That’s why I’m down here, Eric. Nice quiet place to study, don’t you think so? But let me do the honors. Miss Peterson, Miss Doring, and Miss Dearman, permit me to introduce you to the scapegrace of our school.”
Eric smilingly bowed to the girls, as he gayly replied, “‘I deny the allegation and I defy the alligator,’ but I am truly pleased to meet three fair maidens in our pine woods.” Then, turning to the old man, who stood proudly watching him, he exclaimed, “Daddy Jock, you haven’t a dog-biscuit or any little thing like that around, have you? I’m so hungry that I could eat more than old Giant Blunderbuss.”
“We would better be going,” Madge declared, “and then you and Mr. Henderson can have your supper.”
“Don’t go, Miss,” Jock Henderson said. “I had great luck this day,—caught a fine mess of trout,—and if you’ll stay we’ll cook them over the camp-fire.”
“I’d powerfully like to accept that invitation!” Everett exclaimed.