Four Boy Hunters Part 31

"We are going to do what we can to put the camp in order," said Shep, when the others were ready to leave. "And we are going to hunt for our guns, too."

The trip from Firefly Lake to Lake Cameron did not take long, and then began the journey to Simon Lundy's farm. They landed at the foot of the orchard. Leaving the negro in charge of Whopper, Ham Spink and Carl Dudder, Snap ran up to the house.

"Is Mr. Lundy in?" he asked of Mrs. Lundy, who answered his summons at the door.

"Simon! Somebody wants to see you!" said the woman.

"What's wanted?" asked the miserly farmer, coming forward.

"We have caught that thief, Mr. Lundy."

"Do tell!" burst out Mrs. Lundy.

"Did you git my watch back?" questioned the farmer, eagerly.

"No; but here is a p.a.w.n-ticket for it."

"How much did he p.a.w.n it fer?"

"Six dollars."

"I ain't goin' to pay it, not me!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Simon Lundy. "The p.a.w.nbroker is got to give it up without any pay."

The farmer put on his coat and walked down to the boat with him.

Then he got in, and all rowed to Fairview as fast as they could.

Their coming produced something of a sensation, as the boys were not expected. The negro was locked up promptly, and a constable went off with Simon Lundy to recover the watch. Then Snap and Whopper went home, to remain overnight. The boys pa.s.sed lightly over the trials through which they had pa.s.sed, fearing that if they told the bare truth they would not be permitted to go away to finish the outing.

Early in the morning, Snap and Whopper had a plain talk with Ham Spink. It scared the dudish and overbearing youth, and as a consequence he obtained for them some additional stores, to take the place of those used or destroyed by the Spink crowd.

"I'll make everything right," said Ham Spink. "Only keep mum."

And he was as good as his word.

In the meantime, Shep and Giant worked with a will to put the camp in order once more, and also brought across the lake the deer that had been shot down. It made them exceedingly angry to see how the camp had been treated by Ham Spink and his cronies.

"Those fellows don't know what a joke is," said Shep. "This is past being funny."

"Wait---Snap will make them toe the mark," answered the smaller youth. "He said he would do it before he left."

During the afternoon the two boys took the rowboat and also some lines and a drag-net and rowed over to the vicinity of Humpback Rock, where the tipping over had occurred.

"You can see how shallow the water is here," said Shep. "We ought to find at least some of our things."

"Here is where the boat went over," answered Giant, and gazing down into the water he added:

"And there is one of the guns!"

They hooked the weapon up without a great deal of trouble, and soon located another gun and then a game-bag. This encouraged them, and they kept at the task until sundown, finding all the outfit but one game-bag, which Shep declared of little value, as the strap was broken.

"This is better luck than I antic.i.p.ated," said Giant. "Now we must clean the guns without delay."

The entire evening was spent in overhauling and oiling the guns, and in drying out the gamebags. They also dressed one of the deer, hanging up the meat as before. The Spink crowd had taken the smallest of the game and for this they were to pay regular market prices.

When Snap and the others got back they brought with them a whole boat-load of provisions and other things, and were followed by Jed Sanborn in his canoe. The hunter had agreed to take the deer to Fairview for them. He was joyful to think they had had such luck.

"Don't need me to show ye how to bring down deer," he observed, with a grin on his homely face. "You have done prime, boys, prime, an' I'm proud of ye!"

A portion of the provisions was left at the camp and then Ham Spink and his crony crossed the lake, while Jed Sanborn remained with Snap and the others.

"Had to buy a deer from ye, did they?" chuckled Jed Sanborn, when Spink and Dudder were out of hearing. "They won't never make no hunters, not if they try a hundred years. I'd starve to death afore I'd buy meat here, with the woods so full o' things to shoot!"

"I laid down the law good and hard," said Snap. "I don't think they will give us any more trouble."

"I think Dudder is rather ashamed of himself," said Whopper. "But Ham Spink is so thick-skinned it doesn't strike through."

"What did they do to the negro?" asked Giant.

"Locked him up for trial."

"Did Pop Lundy get his watch back?" asked Shep.

"Yes, after a little trouble. The p.a.w.nbroker was awfully mad. He wants to send the colored fellow to jail, too."

Snap and Whopper were glad to learn that the outfit had been recovered and they had Jed Sanborn look at the guns to make certain that all were fit to use.

"Didn't hurt 'em a mite," said the old hunter. "But they couldn't have stayed in the water much longer."

"It was lucky the boat went over where the water was shallow," said Giant. "Had the water been deep perhaps we shouldn't have gotten back a thing."

After the old hunter had departed with the deer, the boys set to work in earnest to fix up their camp once more. Some of the things had been spoiled by the heavy storm, but Ham Spink had "made good,"

as Snap said, so nothing was really lost, so far as the young hunters were concerned.

After several days of rest the boys felt once more in proper trim for sport, and went out after a bunch of rabbits and squirrels.

They were fairly lucky, and three o'clock of the afternoon found them on the return to the camp.

"Let us look for some nuts," suggested Whopper.

The others were willing, and made their way to a group of trees growing some distance up the lake sh.o.r.e. Nuts were to be had in plenty, and soon they had their pockets and the corners of their game-bags well filled.

"I see another tree with some extra large nuts!" cried Shep.

"Come on!"

He led the way to the tree in question, which grew on a bit of land projecting far out into the lake. They soon had some of the big nuts and were about to return whence they had come, when Snap uttered a cry:

"A snake!"

"Where?" came from the others.