Ere long the meal was on the table—-two boards placed across the tops of two boxes. It was a low table, but it served the purpose.
"My, but this fish tastes good!" murmured Tom Reade, as he picked a piece of fried perch free of the backbone and began eating it.
"We'll all of us find it the best meal ever, just because we've tramped far enough and worked hard enough to make any kind of decent food taste great," Dick smiled.
The supper over, and one of the campfires replenished, all six of the youngsters took the dishes down to the lake, carrying along two kettles of hot water, where a general dish-washing ensued. With so many to do the work, the camp was spick and span within twenty minutes.
"Now, I'm going to enjoy one thing that I haven't had all day, and that's some real rest," Prescott declared, throwing himself down upon the grass. "I don't believe I shall move until bedtime."
But he did. Already trouble was hovering over the camp. From out of the darkness beyond three pairs of eyes studied the campers in silence. One pair belonged to Bert Dodge, another the young Bayliss, and the third to a man of about middle age.
Dodge and Bayliss were thoroughly angry.
CHAPTER V
BERT DODGE HEARS THE BATTLE CRY
Ten minutes after Dick had thrown himself on the grass a rustling was heard above the camp. Then down the slope strode three figures.