With four fish, they went back to the camp, where two of the boys, Frank and Buster Billings, dressed them for the evening meal.
In the meantime Lanky and Paul went out for a stroll along the lake to look things over preparatory for the morrow, when they intended getting down to the business of camping—that is, getting some game and fish. They considered the little expedition of the afternoon as a try-out, just to see whether the fish were biting.
In a few minutes the two boys came back to the camp hurriedly, breaking into the kitchen where Frank and Buster were at work.
“We’ve got some news, but it isn’t very good!” exclaimed Paul. “Up the road by the lake we saw three men coming with packs on their backs, and they look like Jeek and his two cronies.”
Frank was not disturbed by this news.
“I suppose they are camping up here somewhere,” he very slowly remarked. “Lots of people come up here, you know.”
“Yes, that’s true. But that fellow Jeek isn’t a happy sort of neighbor to have, is he?”
“Can’t be any worse than the tramps,” replied Frank.
“I’m not sure of that. Jeek has a bad reputation while the tramps looked like just ordinary hoboes.”
Paul thought that more importance was vested in the arrival of Jeek and his pals than Frank was willing to concede. What Frank was thinking no one knew. He held his counsel and continued to receive the news with a smile.