Guns and Snowshoes; Or, the Winter Outing of the Young Hunters Part 33

"Now, wouldn't that jar you!" exclaimed Shep, as they turned toward Firefly Lake. "Did you ever hear of such meanness?"

"He's as bad as he was last summer, when he drove us away from Lake Cameron," said Snap, bitterly.

For some time after that the young hunters were silent, each busy with his own thoughts. Driven away from the vicinity of Lake Cameron, they had to make another wide detour, and it was one o'clock before they came in sight of Firefly Lake, nestling so cozily among the hills.

"It will take at least an hour and a half to get down to the lake and up to camp," said Snap. "Shall we go on or stop for dinner?"

"I am as hungry as two bears," said Whopper. "Let us rest up a bit and get something to eat."

The others were willing, and soon a fire was blazing and over this they broiled one of the wild ducks. The meal and the rest occupied an hour and a half, but they all felt it was time well spent.

Their hearts beat rapidly as they walked down the hill to the edge of the lake. They had to pa.s.s a bend and then came in sight of the camp.

"The flag is down!" cried Giant, in some disappointment.

"I reckon the blizzard was too much for it," answered Snap. "But let that go, so long as the shelter itself is all right."

They almost broke into a run on the last quarter mile, so eager were they to see the condition of things. At last they caught sight of Birch Tree Inn. It looked to be exactly as they had left it.

"Thank fortune for that," began Shep, when Whopper uttered a cry.

"I really believe the doorway is open!"

The barrier to the doorway was certainly gone, and with hearts that fairly thumped in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s they ran for the shelter, to learn what this meant. All was dark inside and very cold, and with trembling fingers Snap struck a match and looked around for the acetylene bicycle lamp.

"It's gone!" he cried.

"And most of our things are gone too!" gasped Shep.

Then the match went out and they had to light another. A sc.r.a.p of paper was found and some dry sticks, and they kindled a blaze, heaping up the fire so as to get as much light as possible.

"One sled is gone!"

"So are all the cooking utensils!"

"And the extra clothing!"

"And the grub!" wailed Whopper. "Not a bit of coffee, chocolate, sugar, or anything left!"

"Boys, this is awful!" wailed Giant. "Who could have done it?"

"Maybe the Ham Spink crowd."

"Or the Felps crowd."

"Or that tramp who made trouble for us before," came from Snap.

Then they made a more careful inspection--to find their skates also missing and--most precious of all--all the extra matches and extra ammunition.

"This is the worst blow of all," said the leader of the club, referring to the matches and the ammunition. "We can't stay here without ammunition and the wherewith to make a fire when we want it."

"What's to do?" asked Giant and Whopper, in a breath.

"Either catch the fellow who has stolen our things, or go home."

CHAPTER XXV

AT THE CAMP ONCE AGAIN

The announcement Snap made cast a gloom over all the boys. Each felt that their leader spoke the truth.

"Well, as I don't want to go home, I vote we go after the thief," said Shep, who was the first to speak.

Fortunately not all of their stores had been taken--they had been too plentiful to pile on one sled--so they had enough left with which to get a substantial supper. But all of the boys did not wait for the meal.

"If we are going to follow that thief up we ought to do it right away," said Snap. "The more time that is wasted the less will be our chance of catching him. Shep, if you say so, we can go after him and leave Giant and Whopper to look after what is left here."

"Why can't I go along?" asked Giant.

"Two ought to stay here," said Snap. "And I've got another plan," he went on. "How much money have we got on hand?"

The amount was counted and found to be nearly five dollars.

"That's enough," said the leader. "If we can't find the thief, we can slip over to Riverside and buy the things we actually need. I wouldn't go to Fairview, because that would cause too much talk."

Snap and Shep put some provisions in their game bags, readjusted their snowshoes, and soon set off.

"Have you any idea when you will be back?" called Whopper after them.

"No--maybe not till to-morrow," was the answer.

In the deep snow it was easy to follow the direction the thief with the sled had taken, and they soon became convinced that but one person had done the deed.

Left to themselves, Whopper and Giant did what little they could to restore order to the camp. They saw that the thief must have remained in the shelter one or two days--probably during the blizzard. On leaving he had attempted to break down one wall of the place and ruin the chimney, but had not succeeded.

"They'll last as long as we want to stay," said Giant. "But how mean it was to try such things!"

In coming to the shelter Whopper had twisted his ankle and this hurt him not a little, and he was perfectly willing to rest the member all he could. Giant prepared supper and they ate it leisurely, in the meanwhile talking over the outlook from every point of view.

Morning found the two young hunters stirring early. There was little, however, to do, and they took their time over breakfast. Giant had found where a bag of beans had been spilled on the ground and he picked them up with care one by one.

"I think I'll make some bean soup for a change," he said. "I'll throw in some meat to give it a flavor."

"That rascal--whoever he was--took all the flour, otherwise we might make some pancakes," grumbled Whopper.