E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig

FOUR BOY HUNTERS

or, The Outing of the Gun Club

by

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS
I. Target Shooting and a Plan
II. The Fire at the Saw Mill
III. Down the River
IV. The Disappearance of the Boat
V. Another Start
VI. A First Night in Camp
VII. Something About a Strange Animal
VIII. An Unwelcome Arrival
IX. A Night of Discomfort
X. Giant and the Maskalonge
XI. In a New Camp
XII. Shep and the Hollow Tree
XIII. Lost in the Woods
XIV. The Boys and the Wildcat
XV. The Cave in the Mountain
XVI. A Successful Deer Hunt
XVII. The Rival Campers
XVIII. A Mix-Up in Camp
XIX. Another Hunt After Dark
XX. In a Storm on the Lake
XXI. A Camp and a Prisoner
XXII. Rabbits, Nuts and a Snake
XXIII. After Mountain Brook Mink
XXIV. Ham Spink and the Skunk
XXV. Surrounded by Wolves
XXVI. Something About Trapping
XXVII. The Deserted Cottage
XVIII. The Boy Hunters and a Bear
XXIX. A Strange Meeting in the Forest
XXX. Words and a Blow
XXXI. The Forest Fire—-Conclusion

PREFACE

My Dear Lads:

This tale of "Four Boy Hunters" is a complete story in itself, but forms the first volume of a line to be called "The Boy Hunters Series," taking the heroes through various adventures while searching for big and little game in the woods and in the mountains.

The boys are bright, lively fellows of to-day, with a natural taste for a life in the open, and a fondness for a gun and a rod. In the present volume they organize their little club, and after a good deal of talk obtain permission to go a number of miles from home and establish a camp on the edge of a lake. From this spot they are driven away by one who is their enemy, and then they go elsewhere. They have fun and adventures in plenty, around the camp and while out after both big and little game, and they help to bring to justice two men who are hiding from the officers of the law. To-day hunting in our country is not what it was some years ago. Many of the best hunting localities have become settled, and it is becoming harder and harder to catch a sight of a deer, or a moose, or a bear, or, in fact, any wild animal of size. In the far West the buffalo has been practically wiped out, and in the East the deer and moose would also be gone were it not for the protection of the law, which makes it illegal to shoot down such game during the closed season.

With best wishes to all who love a gun and love good hunting,
I remain, Your sincere friend, Captain Ralph Bonehill.

CHAPTER I

TARGET SHOOTING AND A PLAN

Cling!

"A bull's-eye!"

Cling!

"Another bull's-eye, I declare!"

Cling!

"Three bull's-eyes, of all things! Snap, you are getting to be a wonder with the rifle. Why, even old Jed Sanborn couldn't do better than that."

Charley Dodge, a bright, manly boy of fifteen, laid down the rifle on the counter in the shooting gallery and smiled quietly. "I guess it was more luck than anything, Shep," he replied. "Perhaps I couldn't do it again."

"Nonsense," came from Sheppard Reed, also a boy of fifteen. "You have got it in you to shoot straight and that is all there is to it. I only wish I could shoot as well."

"How did you fellows make out?" came from a third youth, as he entered the gallery. He was sixteen years old but hardly as large as the average lad of ten.

"Snap just made three bull's-eyes!" cried Shep Red. "Made them as easily as pie, too."

"And what did you make?"

"Made one bull's-eye and two inner rings. Are you going to try your luck, Giant?"

"Humph!—-I don't think I can hit the back of the building unless they move it up to me," answered Will Caslette. "But I'll take a chance," he added, turning to the keeper of the gallery and fishing five cents from his pocket. "Got to learn to shoot if I'm going on a hunt, you know," he went on, to his chums.

"Then you can go with us?" questioned Charley Dodge, quickly.

"I think so—-mother said she would tell me for certain to-morrow."

The small youth took the rifle handed to him and aiming carefully, pulled the trigger.

"The outer ring," said Shep Reed. "That's not so bad but what it might be worse, Giant."

"Oh, it might be worse!" answered the small youth, coolly. "I might fire out of the window and kill somebody on the back street, or hit a duck in Rackson's pond. Here goes again."

The second shot was a little better, and the third made the bell ring, much to the small youth's delight.

"Hullo, you fellows!" came from the doorway, a lively boy of fourteen came in, curly hair dying and a cap set far back on his head. "Been looking for you all over town for about sixteen hours. Been shooting, eh? I'll bet a can of buttermilk against a shoestring that you all made outer rings."

"Hullo, Whopper!" called the others. "Come in and try your luck."

"Can't—-I'm dead broke this morning," answered Frank Dawson.
"I've got to wait a year or two till my next allowance comes in."

"Here's the money," answered Charley Dodge, producing five cents.
"Now, Whopper, don't make more than three bull's-eyes."

"I'm going to make twenty-'leven," answered the boy called Whopper. "Don't you know that I once went into a gallery in the city and made one hundred bull's-eyes in succession? The proprietor fainted and didn't get over it for two months."

"Phew! That's the biggest whopper yet!" ejaculated Giant. "Nothing like living up to your reputation."

The boy who could tell big stories on all occasions took up the rifle and shot three times with care, and as a result placed three inner rings to his credit.

"That isn't bad," said Shep Reed. "But Snap is the boss rifleman of this crowd."

"Then we must make him the leader of our gun club," put in Giant.
"What do you say, fellows?"

"That's it!" cried the others.

"Have you fellows got a gun club?" came from the man who kept the shooting gallery, curiously.

"We've got something of that sort," answered the newly declared leader. "You see, we expect to go out on a hunting tour this fall and so we got together and called ourselves a gun club."

"The Fairview Gun Club," corrected Whopper. "Nothing like giving a title that looks like something, as the French Count said when he called himself a duke."

"Where is your club going?"

"Oh, just up in the mountains, back of Lake Cameron," answered
Snap.

"Is the hunting good there?"

"Pretty fair—-so old Jed Sanborn says."

"Well, I wish you luck. You boys are good enough shots to bring down almost anything," said the shooting gallery keeper.

"Come on up to our orchard and talk things over," said Snap, as he led the way from the gallery, and in a moment more the boys were on the Street and making their way to Mr. Dodge's apple orchard, a quarter of a mile from the center of the town. The other boys knew as well as Snap that there were some fine fall pippins in the orchard, and, like all growing lads, each loved a good apple.

The town of Fairview was not a large one. There was one main street and a side street running to the little depot, at which eight trains stopped daily. There were fifteen shops and stores, a hotel and three churches. The houses numbered less than a hundred in the town proper, although many others were located in the rich farming district close by. Fairview was situated on the Rocky River, which, ten miles below, flowed into a beautiful sheet of water called Lake Cameron. The town was noted for its natural beauty, and in the summertime not a few tourists stopped there.

One of the principal men of the community was Mr. Dodge, Charley's father. He was rich, but preferred to live on his farm instead of moving to the town or the city. He was a school trustee and also held an interest in the summer hotel and in one of the big saw mills on the river.

Sheppard Reed was the only son of a local physician, who, during the past twenty years, had built up a substantial practice in and around Fairview. Shep and Snap, as they were always called, were close chums, and once in a while their own folks would refer to them as the Twins.

Frank Dawson had moved to Fairview only two years before, but had become a general favorite among the boys. He had a habit of exaggerating most woefully, and this had gained for him the nickname of Whopper. From this it must not be inferred that Frank could not tell the truth, for, when it came to the pinch the lad was as truthful as anybody. His "whoppers" were always so big that everybody recognized them as such instantly.

Will Caslette, always called Billy or Giant, was the son of a French widow lady who had come to Fairview on the death of her husband, seven years before. The widow had just enough to live on comfortably, and she took a great pride in her offspring, even though he was so small in stature. But though Billy was small he was "all there," as the other boys said, and promised to become a man, every inch of him.

Arriving at the orchard, the four boys walked to one of the best of the apple trees and with a stick brought down a dozen of the finest apples. Then they selected a warm spot in the sunshine, threw themselves on the sward, and began to eat and discuss their plans at the same time.

"It's a regular windfall for us that the old schoolhouse is going to be shut up next Wednesday," said Snap. "Just think of two months of loafing."

"Bless the storm that ripped off part of the roof," came from Shep.

"And bless the fact that they can't get it mended right away," was Will's comment. "I don't believe they'll open again until after the holidays."

"Of course they won't," said Whopper. "They can't do it. They've got to put on a new roof, mend the water pipes, reset the steps, paint the place, and do sixteen hundred and one things."

"The best thing we can do is to make all arrangements for going on our tour bright and early Monday morning," went on Snap. "We will have from now on to get ready in. That will be plenty of time."

"Humph! I could get ready in an hour," murmured Whopper. "What's there to do anyway? Pick up our guns, pack up some grub, take along a tent and some fishing tackle, and there you are. Easy as sliding off a banana peel."

"Is it?" came from Snap. "That's all you know about it. In the first place, you must remember that this is no outing for a day or two, or even a week. We have got to take supplies for at least a month, if not two months. And I don't want to live in a tent when it gets good and cold. We've got to build a shack of some sort. There will be a hundred and one things to do before we are ready to start. And it is going to cost something, too."

"How much?" asked Giant, anxiously. "Please don't make the amount too high, or I won't be able to stand for my share."

"We'll figure it out," said Snap, producing a note-book and a pencil. "I suppose when it comes to such things as flour, sugar, salt, coffee and the like, we can get them from our homes. But there are other things that we will have to buy. For instance, we will need plenty of powder and shot, and we'll want to take medicines and plasters along, in case of accidents——-"

"I can get those from my father," interrupted Shep. "He has an emergency case that will be just the thing."

"How about——-" began Giant, when he stopped short, to gaze at a man who was running down the road at top speed. "Hullo, Mr. Harrison!" he called. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Goin' to the fire!" was the puffed-out answer.

"Fire?" ejaculated all of the boys, leaping to their feet. "Where?"

"Down the river. Reckon it's the Barnaby mill," and the man went on his way.

The boys gazed down the river and saw a thick volume of smoke rolling skyward. Men and boys were running toward it from every direction.

"It's the mill, as sure as fate!" cried Snap. "Come on, I'm going to the fire, fellows!" And away he started.

"Isn't that the mill in which your father owns an interest?" asked
Whopper.

"Yes; he owns a third share," answered Snap.

CHAPTER II

THE FIRE AT THE SAW MILL

It was indeed the Barnaby place that was going up in flames, and already the fire had gained much headway. The place was composed of the saw mill proper and half a dozen sheds used for the storage of cut lumber. The plant was valued at thirty thousand dollars, so if it was swept away the loss would be a heavy one.

The mill was a good half mile from the orchard, but the boys were all good runners and covered the distance in a few minutes, Shep and Snap arriving there first and little Giant bringing up the rear, with a face as red as a beet.

A dozen men and boys were on hand, besides the mill workers, and a bucket brigade had been formed to throw buckets of water taken from the river on the flames. Some men were bringing out a line of hose, which was presently attached to the engine of the mill itself.

"I am going to help here!" cried Snap, throwing off his coat, and he went to work with a will and the other lads did the same. The buckets of water came along swiftly, but for a long time it looked as if the whole plant was doomed to destruction. The fire was in a shed next to the saw mill itself, a place one end of which was used as an office by the mill company. The wind was blowing the sparks directly to the mill proper.

"Phew! but this is hot work!" cried one of the men. "Can't stand this much longer."

"Don't give up!" pleaded the master of the mill. "Perhaps the wind will change."

It certainly was warm work, as all of the boys found out. The sparks and brands were dropping over them, and once Snap's shirt sleeve caught fire, while Shep had a spark blister his neck and cause him to let out a yell like an Indian.

In the midst of the excitement, Mr. Dodge arrived, and a moment later the local fire engine, an old-fashioned affair purchased from a neighboring city. The stream of water, however, did good service, and the fire was kept largely to the shed in which it had started. The mill itself caught a dozen times, but the flames were extinguished before they did material damage. Finally the wind veered around, blowing the sparks toward a cleared spot in the woods, and then all saw that the worst of the affair was over. But men and boys kept at their labors, and did not stop until every spark of the conflagration had been extinguished.

"Now it is over, I am going down to the river and wash up," said Snap to Shep, and they walked to the edge of the stream, followed by Whopper and Giant. "I feel dirty from head to foot."

"Your father can be thankful that the mill didn't go," said Whopper. "Gosh, what a blaze! I thought the whole county was going to burn up. I got burnt in about 'leventeen hundred spots."

"And I let a bucket of water drop on my foot," put in Giant. "Say, but didn't the edge of the bucket feel nice on my little toe!" and he limped along to the water's edge.

Having washed up, the boys returned to the scene of the fire. They found the mill master, Tom Neefus, in earnest conversation with Mr. Dodge.

"You saw the rascal do it?" asked Snap's father.

"I certainly did," replied Tom Neefus. "I started to catch him, but then I came back to put out the blaze. I made up my mind it would be better to stop the fire than catch the man, even though he was such a villain."

"Who's a villain, father?" asked Shep.

"The man who started this fire."

"Did a man start it?" asked the boy, while several others drew closer to listen.

"So Mr. Neefus says. He caught the fellow at the office desk. In a corner the fellow had thrown a pile of shavings and saturated it with oil. As he ran away he threw a handful of lighted matches into the shavings and they caught instantly."

"I suppose he did that so that he could get away. He knew the men around here would try to save the property instead of going after him."

"Exactly, Charley. He must have been a cold-blooded villain to do such a thing, for it might have been the means of burning down everything," continued Mr. Dodge.

"What was he doing at the desk, Mr. Dodge?" asked Shep.

"He was evidently looking for money or something of value."

"Did he get anything?"

"Nothing, so far as Mr. Neefus knows. The safe was locked up,
I believe."

The strong-box mentioned stood in a corner of the office, and the fire had swept all around it. It was quite hot, but after some more water had been poured over it the master of the mill threw it open.

"The books are all right—-the fire wasn't hot enough to touch them," said Tom Neefus. "I don't think—-Ha!"

He stopped short, gazing into a small compartment of the safe.
Then his brow contracted.

"What have you discovered?" questioned Mr. Dodge, quickly.

"The money is gone—-and also those papers to that tract of land at Spur Road!"

"The money? How much money?"

"Three hundred and fifty dollars."

"But I thought you said you had the safe locked," went on Mr.
Dodge.

"I did have it locked. He must have opened it and then shut it up again before he went at the desk."

The announcement by the master of the mill created something of a sensation, and soon all the men and boys in the vicinity gathered to learn the particulars of the robbery. It was learned that the man who had perpetrated the deed was a tall, slim individual who limped with his left foot when he ran. He had disappeared into the forest bordering the river, and that was the last seen of him. He had red hair and a stubby red moustache.

That very evening a reward of one hundred dollars was offered by the mill company for the capture of the thief, and men and boys for miles around went on the hunt, but without success. Mr. Dodge and the other men of the concern were very much worried, but could do nothing further. The county authorities appeared to be helpless, although the sheriff and two deputies spent two days in trying to get some trace of the criminal. It was as if the earth had opened and swallowed him up.

The loss of the money was bad enough, but it was learned by Snap that this was not the worst of the affair by any means. For a long time the mill company had had a dispute with another lumber concern over the right to cut timber in a locality known as the Spur Road. The Barnaby Company had certain papers for this right—-getting them after much trouble. Now these papers were gone, and the dispute about the Spur Road tract might be again opened.

"I wish I had those papers back," said Mr. Dodge. "If I had them I shouldn't mind the loss of the money so much, although three hundred and fifty dollars is not an amount to be sneezed at."

"Can the thief sell the papers to the Felps Lumber Company, father?" asked Snap.

"He might do that—-if they were mean enough to buy them. But I rather think the Felps folks would be above that—-although they are very, very bitter against us. They can't get any more timber to cut around here, and they don't want to move their plant. The Spur Road tract will keep our mill busy for at least three years."

The excitement of the mill fire and the search after the thief kept the four boys from speaking of the proposed outing for several days. But as soon as the school closed they met at Snap's house to complete their arrangements.

It had been no easy matter for the four to obtain permission to leave home on such an extended trip. Mr. Dodge and Dr. Reed were willing enough, for they had gone out in a similar fashion when boys, and thought it would do their sons good, but with Frank's folks it was different, and Giant's mother shook her head decidedly, and only gave in after a long consultation with the doctor, who had become her physician.

"They will be safe enough, do not fear," said Dr. Reed. "Boys have to become self-reliant, Mrs. Caslette, and the time to start is when they are young." After that the widow said no more, and so it was settled, so far as Giant was concerned. Then the three boys talked the matter over with Whopper's folks, and at last they gave in also, and then the boys danced a regular war-dance in Whopper's back yard, which made even Mrs. Dawson laugh.

"Well, boys will be boys," she said. "But I do hope they don't run into a bear or shoot themselves."

"They are all good shots and know how to handle their guns," answered Mr. Dawson. "They ought to be able to get along. Mr. Dodge told me privately he was going to have old Jed Sanborn keep an eye on them, and Sanborn is one of the most reliable hunters and guides in this district."

As soon as it was settled, the boys began to get their stores ready. It was decided to go down the river as far as Lake Cameron in a rowboat belonging to the Dodges, and from there "tote" their outfit to wherever they decided to camp. If one spot did not suit after stopping there they would move on to some other point.

The outfit was no light one, when it was all gotten together. For clothing, each youth had an extra set of underwear and some socks. Each carried a pair of shoes and wore boots, and also had a coat that would do for both rain and warmth.

Their stores consisted principally of flour, beans, bacon, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, condensed milk, and a few vegetables, some fresh and others canned. For cooking purposes they had a "nest" of pots and pans, of the lightest ware obtainable, and for eating carried tin plates and tin cups, and also knives, forks and spoons.

Each boy wanted to take along his shotgun, and in addition they took a rifle belonging to Mr. Dodge and a pistol loaned to them by Dr. Reed. Each youth also carried a serviceable pocket-knife and a waterproof match-safe.

"I think we've got about all we need now," said Snap, after looking at the collection. "Now all we want is those rubber blankets and the flannel ones, and then we shall be about ready to start."

"Will the rowboat hold the load?" questioned Whopper. "It seems to me there is about two thousand times too much stuff."

"The boat has got to hold it," came from Giant. "But what I am thinking of is, what a job we'll have carrying the load after we leave the boat."

"Well, if it's too heavy we can make two trips instead of one," said Shep, and so it was agreed.

CHAPTER III

DOWN THE RIVER

When Snap awoke on Sunday morning, he was very much discouraged, for the sky was overcast, and by church-time it was raining steadily.

"This will make it beastly for a start," he grumbled, while on his way to church in the family carriage.

"Never mind," answered his father. "You can start Tuesday as well as Monday."

"I'd rather start on time," answered the impatient boy. His mind was so taken up by the proposed outing he could scarcely bring himself to listen to the sermon; and what was true of Snap was also largely true of the others.

By nightfall the rain cleared away, and when Snap went to bed the moon was shining brightly. The boy could hardly go to sleep, and when he slumbered, dreamed of being in camp, with wolves and bears and deer on all sides of him. Then he dreamed that it began to hail, louder and louder, and he awoke to hear some pebbles being thrown against the window-pane. He sprang up, rushed to the window and saw Giant standing in the yard, fully ready for a start.

"Hullo, you! How long are you going to snooze?" demanded the small youth. "I've been ready for an hour. Don't you know that this is the all-important day?"

"I do!" cried Snap. "What time is it?"

"Half-past six. I wanted to start by six."

"We're to start at eight o'clock," answered Snap, and hurried into his clothing with all possible speed.

By seven o'clock all of the boys had had a good breakfast and then they bid their folks good-by and hurried down to the river. It was a glorious morning, as clear as crystal after the rain, and with just the faintest breeze blowing.

The stores had been packed away on Saturday in a boathouse nearby, and it was an easy matter to transfer them to the rowboat. The craft was rather crowded with goods and boys, but the lads made the best of it. Only two could use the oars, so they took turns at rowing, Snap and Whopper taking the blades at first, with Giant in the bow and Shep in the stern, steering.

Nearly everybody in the town had heard about the outing, and many came to see them off.

"They'll be back in a week," said one big boy, with a laugh.
"Just wait till they catch a rainy spell."

"You're only mad because you can't go along, Ham Spink!" cried Snap.

"Bah! I wouldn't go with you!" retorted Ham Spink. "When I go out I'll do it in first-class style and with an A1 guide. No little two-cent trip for me."

Hamilton Spink was the son of a very aristocratic man who had come to Fairview a year before. Ham, as all the boys called him, was very much of a dude and always thought himself superior to the regular town boys. He smoked cigarettes and played pool and golf and rode horseback, and did as much "showing off" as he possibly could. As a consequence the majority of the boys detested him.

"This isn't a two-cent trip!" cried Shep. "I don't thank you to call it such."

"I'll call it what I please," muttered the dudish youth.

"Oh, dry off and keep cool!" came from Whopper, and he allowed his oar to slip on purpose, sending a shower of water over the youth on the dock.

"Hi! hi! stop!" came angrily, as Ham backed away. "How dare you do such a thing!" and the dudish boy got out a silk handkerchief and began to wipe the water from his face and high collar.

"Excuse me," answered Whopper, drily. "I beg two million pardons, Ham. You see, I was holding the oar this way and I turned it so, and I—-well, I declare, there she goes again!" And once more poor Ham received a shower of water over his rather elegant suit.

"I'll—-I'll have, the constable lock you up!" spluttered the dudish boy, backing away rapidly. "This is—-er—-outrageous—-I'll—- I'll tell your folks!"

"That's right, be a tattle-tale!" came from Giant, and then he began to sing softly.

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!
Ham's the best of meat!"

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!
Ham is good and sweet!"

"You stop that!" roared Ham Spink, and then, as a dozen boys on the dock took up the darky song, he turned and strode away, with his rather short nose tilted high in the air.

"Do you think he'll call on our folks about this?" whispered Whopper, somewhat anxiously. "I shouldn't like to leave under a cloud."

"Oh! he hasn't got backbone enough to make trouble," answered
Shep. But Shep was mistaken, as we shall learn later.

The rowboat was now some distance from the dock, and with a final wave of the hand the boys began the journey to Lake Cameron.

In a straight line the lake was about ten miles from the town, but the river was a winding one, so they had a row of over thirteen miles before them.

"I hope we haven't forgotten anything," said Whopper. "It would be a shame to have to go back, eh, fellows?"

"We are not going back," returned Giant. "If anything has been left behind we will have to get along without it."

Having left the town behind, the boys reached a point on the stream where the trees and bushes were thick on either side. They turned in toward the left bank, where the sun was not quite so strong, for in spite of the fact that it was fall it promised to be warm.

"Be careful along here," cautioned Shep. "There are some big rocks just under the surface."

He had scarcely spoken when there came a terrific bump which almost threw him overboard. Whopper was sent sprawling on his side, and his oar sent a shower of water over Giant.

"Wow!" came from Whopper. "Say, did we strike a fortress or what?
I thought I was going to the bottom sure!"

"I said to be careful," answered Shep, as the craft sheered off.
"Either move out to the middle of the stream or else go slower."

"No use of moving to the middle of the stream now," said Giant.
"I want to land a short distance below here."

"What for?" asked the others.

"I'll show you when we get there."

Presently they came to a clearing where there was a cornfield. Beyond this was a fine apple orchard, and looking among the trees they espied some especially fine apples.

"We may as well take a few along," said Giant.

"Who owns the orchard?" questioned Whopper.

"Pop Lundy," answered Snap. "The meanest farmer in this district."

"Then he won't give us any apples," declared Whopper.

"We'll have to make an appropriation," said Giant, coolly. "He owes me some, anyway. I once did an errand for him in town and he hardly gave me a thank you for it."

"If he catches us he will make it warm."

"We'll keep our eyes peeled."

After a few words more the rowboat was run up under some bushes and all leaped ashore. They made their way through the bushes into the orchard proper and then hurried for the tree that seemed to be bearing the best of the fruit.

"These apples are certainly all right," remarked Shep, biting into one which was extra juicy. "We may as well take all we can carry of them."

It was no easy task to get at the apples, which were rather high up, and one after another the boys got up into the lower branches and then mounted higher. Here they stuffed their pockets until it was impossible to carry another one.

"Well, boys, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay up there, hey?"

The question came from the foot of the tree, and, much alarmed, the four gazed below, to see Pop Lundy standing there, with a stout whip in his hand.

"I say, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay there?" went on the mean farmer, with a glare at them.

"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Lundy?" cried Snap, as cheerfully as he could. "We were just rowing by and we thought we'd sample your apples."

"Really neow, thet was kind, wasn't it?" said the farmer, sarcastically.
"Jest come deown and ye can sample this cowhide o' mine."

"Thanks, but I just as soon stay here," came softly from Giant.

"Fine work to be cotched at," went on Pop Lundy. "Stealin' a poor man's fruit. Come deown an' I'll tan yer hide well fer ye!"

He was very angry and now he shook his cowhide whip at them.

At that instant, quite unintentionally, Shep let an apple core drop from his hand. Pop Lundy was looking up when the core hit him plumb in the left eye.

"Yeou villain!" he cried, dancing around. "Want fer to put my eye eout, hey? Oh, wait till I git my hands on ye, I'll show ye a thing or two!"

"Mr. Lundy, supposing we agree to pay you for the apples?" questioned
Snap, after an awkward pause.

"How much?" demanded the farmer, cautiously. He was a good deal of a miser and money was very dear to him.

"Oh, a fair price."

"Don't pay him a cent," whispered Giant. "Let us all drop and run for it."

"If we do that he may report the matter at home and make trouble that way," went on Snap. "He can't charge us only a few cents for what we have taken."

"Will ye give me a dollar fer the apples?" asked Pop Lundy.

"A dollar!" ejaculated Whopper. "Humph! I can get a barrel of these apples for a dollar!"

"No, yeou can't! I'm a-goin' to git six dollars fer 'em—-they're the best in these air parts. Make it a dollar an' I'll let ye go."

"This is a regular hold-up," muttered Shep. "Offer him twenty-five cents."

At that moment came a loud cry from the direction of the farmhouse, which was located at the upper end of the orchard.

"Help! help! Simon! Simon! Help me!" came in the voice of a woman.

CHAPTER IV

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT

"Something is wrong sure!" exclaimed Snap, as the cry from the farmhouse was repeated.

He looked below and saw that Pop Lundy was running away, in the direction of the cry for assistance.

"Now is our chance to get away!" cried Whopper, and dropped to the ground, while the others did the same.

"Wait!" came from Snap. "That sounds as if somebody was in great trouble. Hadn't we better go and see what it means?"

"And get caught by Pop Lundy?" queried Giant.

"I don't care," put in Shep. "If I can help a lady I am going to do it."

He hurried off in the direction Simon Lundy had taken and one after another his chums followed. To get to the back door of the farmhouse they had to pass around a chicken house and a pig sty, and as they were doing this they saw a burly negro leap a rail fence not far away.

"What is it, Jane?" they heard the farmer cry, as he dashed into the house.

There was no reply, and coming to the door, the four boys saw that the farmer's wife lay back in a kitchen chair in a dead faint.

"Sumbuddy hez killed her, I guess!" moaned Simon Lundy. "Oh, where is the villain?"

"She isn't dead, only fainted," answered Shep, who had assisted his father on more than one occasion. "Got some smelling salts in the house?"

"I dunno. Ye kin look in the closets."

Shep and the others did so, and soon the son of the physician found something that was beneficial. Yet it was several minutes before the lady of the farm came to her senses and opened her eyes.

"Where is he?" she murmured. "Take him away! Take him away!"

"Who are ye a-talkin' about, Jane?" demanded the husband.

"Thet—-he—-oh, Simon, is it you? Why didn't you come before?"

"Couldn't—-cos I had these young whelps up an apple tree. But wot is it all about anyhow?"

"The big negro—-he wanted something to eat, and then he got saucy and he picked up your watch from the mantelpiece——-"

"My watch!" The miserly farmer sprang to the mantelpiece. "It's gone, sure enough!" he groaned.

"I saw the negro!" cried Snap. "He jumped that fence out there as we came up."

"That's right," put in Whopper. "He was running like a house afire, too."

"Where did he go?"

Nobody knew, but some thought he might have taken to the road.
Finding his wife had not been harmed, only badly scared, Simon
Lundy ran out to the road and gazed up and down, and the boys
did the same.

"I don't see nuthin'," said Pop Lundy.

"Let us run down the road a bit, fellows," suggested Shep.

"Will ye come back?" asked the farmer, anxiously. "I—-er—-I won't say nuthin' about them apples."

"Yes, we'll be back," answered Snap.

The boys spent the best part of an hour on the road, hunting up and down for some trace of the negro, but without success. They knew he was short and stocky and wore a light, checked suit, but that was all.

When they returned to the farmhouse they heard Mrs. Lundy's story in detail. She had been on the point of sweeping the sitting-room when the negro had appeared and asked for Mr. Lundy. She had told him her husband was out, and then the colored man had wanted something to eat. She had refused to give him anything, and then, seeing the watch on the mantelpiece, he had snatched the timepiece and run. She had screamed for assistance and then fainted from excitement.

"Was the watch a valuable one?" asked Snap.

"Yes, it was," answered Simon Lundy. "It was gold and given to me by my father years ago. I wouldn't take a hundred dollars fer it nohow. I was mighty careless to leave it on the mantelpiece, but I didn't want to carry it around in the orchard when I picked apples."

"What will you do about it?" asked Shep.

"I dunno. Go tew teown an' tell the constable, I guess. Be yeou goin' to town?"

"No; we are off on a hunting trip," answered Giant. "And, by the way, we had better be getting back to the boat," he added to his chums.

"Mr. Lundy, we'll give you a quarter for those apples," said Shep.

"All right, as ye please," said the old farmer. He was so upset over the loss of his watch he could think of nothing else.

The boys passed over the money—-that is, Shep did, for he had been appointed treasurer of the expedition. Then, after a few words more, the young hunters hurried back through the orchard to where they had left their rowboat among the bushes.

"Gosh! what a mean man!" was Whopper's comment. "To take that money after what we did to catch that negro."

"It isn't likely that he'll get his gold watch back," said Giant. "That nigger will shake the dust of this locality from his feet as fast as he can."

"More than likely he belongs in some big city," was Whopper's comment. "That is the way those chaps do—-go to a lonely farmhouse and make sure the men are away and then take what they can lay hands on. If he hadn't heard Pop Lundy and us coming he would most likely have ransacked the house from end to end."

They were soon at the river bank and forcing their way through the bushes. Then Snap looked around in perplexity.

"Isn't this the spot where we left the boat?" he questioned, gravely.

"I think so," answered Shep.

"Well, I don't see it."

"Don't see it!" exclaimed Whopper, who was in the rear. "Why, it must be here."

All came out on the edge of the river and gazed up and down the shore in alarm. Not a sight of the boat was to be seen anywhere.

"Wonder if she floated off?" suggested Giant.

"She couldn't," answered Shep. "I tied her up, and did it good, too. There is the exact spot," and he pointed out a stout bush. In the dirt of the bank was the mark of the rowboat's sharp bow.

"Look there!" ejaculated Whopper. "See the size of those footprints—-as big as canal-boats. Do you know what I think?" he almost shouted.

"That nigger ran off with our boat!" came in a chorus from the others.

"That's it. See, there is where he came along the shore. He meant to hide here, when he came across the boat. He saw it was well filled with things and jumped in, and I suppose he rowed off as fast as he could," added Whopper, bitterly. "Oh, wouldn't I like to catch him! I'd make mince-meat of him, I would!"

Whopper stopped short, and all of the boys looked at each other blankly. For some seconds nobody spoke, but each was busy with his thoughts.

"If we can't find the boat——-" began Snap.

"We'll have to return home and give up the trip," finished Giant.
"Oh, I don't want to do that!"

"Nor I!" came from the others.

"We must find our boat, that is all there is to it," said Snap. "I don't believe he went up the river, consequently he must have gone down."

"Then let us get another boat and follow him."

"That's the talk!"

But where to get another boat was a question.

Snap ran back to the farmhouse and met Pop Lundy at the door.

"Thought you boys was a-goin' down the river," said the farmer, suspiciously.

"We have learned what became of that nigger."

"What?"

"He took our boat and ran off with it."

"Well, I vow! Ain't he the pesky rascal, though! Wot be yeou boys a-goin' tew do neow?"

"We want to get another boat, if possible, and follow him. Do you know where a boat can be had?"

"Yes; Ike Welby has a boat. His farm is the next one down from mine. I'll go along. I want to catch him ez much as yeou do."

In a few minutes they were off in a body, all of the boys accompanying the farmer to the next farm. Ike Welby was not at home, but his wife said they could have the boat and welcome, and procured for them two pairs of oars from the barn.

"I am glad that negro didn't come here," she declared. "I should have fainted dead away, too, and he would have gotten everything in the house. I trust you catch the rascal."

"We be a-goin' to try mighty hard," answered Simon Lundy.

There was a small boathouse at the end of the grounds and here was a good round-bottomed boat built for speed as well as pleasure, for in his younger days Ike Welby had been quite an oarsman and had won more than one race. They ran the rowboat into the river, and all jumped in. Then Snap shoved off, and all of the boys got at the oars.

"Now, then, to make things hum!" said Shep. "We must try to spot that nigger before he thinks of going ashore."

CHAPTER V

ANOTHER START

The four young hunters were used to rowing together, so they made rapid progress when once they had caught the stroke. Simon Lundy sat in the stern of the craft, gazing anxiously ahead.

"The wuss o' it is he's got sech a tarnal good start of us," remarked the farmer. "He must be a mile away by this time."

"Never mind, we'll catch him before long, if he sticks to the river," said Snap, confidently.

"Wisht I had brung a gun along."

"Yes, that would have been a good thing," was Shep's comment. "And that reminds me," he added to his chums, "all of our weapons were left in the rowboat."

"Yes; and the nigger is well supplied with guns and pistols," came from Whopper. "Maybe he will try to shoot us full of a million holes when he spots us."

"Oh, deary me! Don't say thet!" groaned Simon Lundy. "I—-I don't want to be shot at, not me!"

"He won't dare to shoot!" said Giant. "We can pretend that we are all armed, you know."

On and on sped the rowboat, making excellent progress on the smooth-flowing river. About a mile was covered, and they swept around first one bend and then another.

"I see a boat ahead!" roared the farmer. "She's gone now," he added, as the craft shot behind some bushes, at a point along the river.

The four young oarsmen increased their stroke, and soon gained the point. Then the boat again came into full view and they could see that it was their own craft and that the colored man was rowing along at a good rate of speed.

"There he is!" was the cry.

"Pull, boys, pull!" called out Snap.

They did pull, and soon came closer to the craft ahead. Then the negro chanced to look back and saw them. He was evidently chagrined, and with out delay turned in toward shore, close to where the trees grew thick.

"Stop!" cried Shep. "Stop, you rascal!"

But the negro paid no attention, excepting to renew his efforts to reach the river bank. He sent the rowboat in among the bushes with a loud swish, and hopped ashore. Then the other boat came up.

"Stop!" roared Simon Lundy. Give me back my watch!"

"Don't yo' dar to follow me!" yelled the negro, and showed a big horse-pistol. "If yo' do, somebody is dun gwine to git shot."

"Don't!" yelled the farmer, and fell flat in the rowboat.

The boys were also alarmed, and for the moment knew not what to do. In that space of time the negro darted back of some trees and was lost to view.