“Here’s what I suggest,” he said, evidencing the fact that his mind had already been at work on the plan. “Up in the rafters there is something that has every resemblance to a small tent. After we get through eating let’s take a look at it, and if my guess is right, let’s plan on going over to the other side of Old Moose Lake for a camp overnight, and——”
“Let’s get that moose!” suggested Paul.
“Or some more fish!” spoke up Buster. “I forgot to get those I went in after yesterday. I was in such a hurry!”
The laugh subsided to pay attention again to Frank.
“We’ll hunt for deer over there, or anything else that gets in our way. We’ll stay over there over night and perhaps we’ll have a chance at daybreak to get one.”
No suggestion could have brought more unanimous consent than did this one, as a result of which the meal was hardly finished, the dishes cleaned and put away before two of the boys got down the khaki-colored bundle from the rafters—which turned out to be a tent.
“Let’s right now set down a list of all the things we should have with us.” Frank’s adherence to method came to the fore. “First, there is the tent. Then some matches—several of us should carry them in cases that are waterproof. Enough food for the evening meal to-morrow and the next morning’s breakfast. We can go without lunch in the middle of the day.”
Suggestions flowed thick and fast from the enthusiastic boys, Frank’s pencil working hard to keep up with the list of things which should be carried. He kept calling attention to the necessity of not trying to carry the entire cabin along. Just enough of the necessary things to last them two days and one night.
Following the plan of the previous days, they arose before the break of dawn, being a goodly part of the way across the lake when day broke. There was no beautiful sunrise this morning. Instead, the skies were heavy, angry, gray in color, forbidding.
“Good thing we brought compasses,” remarked Frank as the four pairs of skates clicked along the ice. “We’ve nothing to guide us back, since we left no fire.”