“I’ll return with you, Sandy,” he said, “but first we will pick up the mink I dropped, if, indeed, those hungry woods cats have not already found it. It looks as if we will have to be contented with a fox and a mink for this afternoon.”
“With three more traps to hear from,” grumbled Sandy, who hated exceedingly to be kept from doing what he had planned. “This seemed to be our lucky day, Bob; and the chances are we’d have found something in every trap. Now those two panthers will just about run the line, and clean everything out for us.”
“Still, we have a whole lot to be thankful for,” urged the older boy, as he picked up the red fox, threw it over his shoulder, and offered to assist Sandy in walking. The other, however, scorned to appear like a cripple, and managed unaided to limp along close at his brother’s heels, though he made many a wry face, unseen by Bob, as pains shot through the injured ankle.
They were fortunate enough to find the mink just where it had been so hastily dropped when Bob heard the shouts of the trapped boy, and, as soon as this had been secured, they turned their faces toward the point where the dugout had been left.
“You see that I was right about the weather thickening up again,” Bob remarked, leading the way at as fast a pace as he believed the lame member of the expedition could stand.
“It does grow gloomy right along, for a fact. As you say, Bob, perhaps the bad spell was only broken for a short time, and the rains may come on worse than ever. Ouch! that hurt like everything then. I didn’t see that root sticking up in the trail. Don’t I wish I was over home right now, so I could wash that sore spot with hot water, and have mother apply some of that wonderful salve which she makes out of herbs.”
“Only a little way more, and we’ll strike the boat,” called out Bob, encouragingly; “there, I can see the place now.”
“I was just thinking what a fix we’d be in if we found it gone!” remarked Sandy. “With the river booming bank-full, and the current as fierce as a wolf pack, how in the wide world would we ever manage to get across, Bob?”
“I’m not going to bother my head trying to guess,” answered the other. “Time enough to cross a bridge when you come to it. Besides, I happen to know that the boat is still there, for I just had a glimpse of it. But, did you mean you thought the river could have risen enough, since we left, to carry it off?”
“No,” said Sandy, soberly, “I was thinking of that second warning you found under the door of the cabin this very morning, and wondering whether those French trappers could be around on this side of the river. If they saw our boat, and guessed whose it was, they’d be ready to send it adrift, and keep us from getting home to-night.”