"Couldn"t be better," declared Ned. "When can we start?"
"To-morrow if you want to, as far as I"m concerned," put in Bart.
"It will take a couple of days to get ready," observed Fenn. "Suppose we say Thursday?"
This was agreed upon, and the boys separated to make arrangements for the trip. They owned, jointly, a small tent that could be used for shelter at night, and a small portable stove which they had utilized on previous camping trips.
Thursday morning saw the boat loaded until there was hardly room for the boys. The craft was heavy but they did not mind that, and there was no grumbling when it fell to the lot of Frank and Ned to do the rowing for the first stage.
"We"ll stop at Riverton on our way up and hire a canoe," said Bart. "A fellow there has a dock and keeps good boats. We"ll want to do a little paddling about and we can"t, very well, if we have all our camp stuff in this heavy craft. We can tow the canoe behind us, and use it while we"re in camp."
The others agreed that this would be a good plan, and Bart, having taken a final look over the boat to see that everything was in ship-shape, gave the order to start.
CHAPTER XVII
THE TRAMP"S HEADQUARTERS
Frank and Ned began pulling with long steady strokes. The boat with its load was not easy to propel through the water and they knew they could do better by taking it easy than by wasting their strength in useless hurry.
Up the stream they went, past Darewell, under the bridge spanning the stream just above the dock, and so on beyond the outskirts of the town until they were out into the country district surrounding the place. It was a pleasant sunshiny day, just warm enough to be comfortable, and with a little breeze blowing.
"I wish this could go on forever," spoke Fenn, from where he was resting comfortably on the folded tent in the bow of the craft.
"Wait until it comes your turn to row," said Ned.
They reached Riverton, the next town above Darewell about eleven o"clock and hired the canoe, a large green one, but very light to paddle.
"Shall we get dinner here?" asked Bart.
"If we"re going to camp let"s camp from the start," suggested Fenn.
"What"s the fun of going to a restaurant for your meals? Anyone can do that, but it isn"t everyone who can have theirs in the woods as we can.
Let"s go up a few miles more and get dinner on sh.o.r.e."
The others decided this would be the most fun, and the trip was resumed with Bart and Fenn at the oars. They made three miles before twelve o"clock and then, finding a shady, level spot near sh.o.r.e, tied the boat, and got out the portable stove.
"Now, Stumpy," said Bart, who had been elected camp manager, "you get the wood. Ned, you dig some worms and catch fish, and Frank and I will get the meal ready."
The little temporary camp was soon a busy place. Fenn had a fire going in the stove in short order as he found plenty of dry wood, and Ned, going up stream, to a quiet spot, in a little while had caught several fish. They were soon cleaned and put on to fry with the bacon. An appetizing odor filled the little glade in the woods and the boys began to sniff hungrily.
"When will they be done?" asked Frank, as Bart bent over the pan.
"About ten minutes. You can make the coffee if you want to. Ned, you open a can of condensed milk and Fenn, you get out the salt and pepper."
"Everything but the salt," announced Fenn a few moments later. "Here"s the box but there"s none in it."
The others looked surprised and disappointed.
"By Jimminites: I forgot to put it in," he added "I bought all the other things but I left the salt to the last and it slipped my mind."
"That"s pleasant," observed Bart grimly. "How are we going to eat fresh fish without salt? Fenn, you"re a dandy, you are. Thinking too much of the girls, that"s what ails you."
"Anybody might forget," said Stumpy in extenuation.
"Well, there"s no help for it, I suppose," remarked Ned.
"Might use gunpowder," put in Frank. "I"ve read of campers doing that."
"Excuse me," came from Bart, making a wry face. "Besides we haven"t any, so that doesn"t count."
"There"s some one camping on the other side of the river," said Fenn, pointing to where a little column of smoke arose through the trees, about opposite to where the boys were located. "Maybe I could borrow some salt from there."
"Good idea," said Bart. "Take the canoe and paddle over."
Fenn was soon on his way. The others went on with the preparations for dinner pending his return, as the fish were not quite cooked. They watched Fenn paddle over, pull his canoe upon sh.o.r.e, and disappear into the woods. He was gone a few minutes and when he reappeared a man followed him.
"Maybe he wouldn"t lend any salt," said Frank.
As the boys watched they saw the man get into the canoe with Fenn, who then paddled over.
"Looks as though he wouldn"t trust Stumpy to bring the salt over,"
commented Bart. "Wonder what the man wants?"
In a short time the canoe containing Fenn and the stranger grounded on the little beach near where the boys were camped.
"Did you get the salt?" asked Ned.
"Yes, we have the salt," replied the man, and then the three boys noticed with surprise he was the same tramp they had met the day they went swimming, and who had inquired about the man the boys knew as the King of Paprica.
"This is the gentleman who was camping on the other side of the river,"
put in Fenn. "I asked him for some salt and--"
"Allow me to explain," interrupted the tramp, but in a polite tone. "You see it was this way. I am prospecting along the river, and last night my boat, with all my camping outfit, was upset. My food got all wet, and the only thing that didn"t get soaked was the box of salt. It happened to be waterproof.
"I was drying out my clothes and other camping things but alas, when I came to dry out the food I found it had spoiled. So there I was, with nothing but salt to eat. I was just thinking of trying for some fish when this young gentleman came along and asked if he could borrow some salt. I at once saw my opportunity. "Here," I said, "are persons with plenty to eat and no salt. Here I am with plenty of salt but nothing to eat. A fair exchange is no robbery." I at once produced my salt."
"And I at once asked him over to dinner," put in Fenn.
"Why, of course; glad to have you," said Bart. "Frank, put another plate on," he added waving his hand to the ground which served as a table.
"Dinner is served," and he laughed, the tramp joining him.
"Happy to meet you all," the ragged man went on, not considering it necessary, it seemed, to mention his name or ask how the boys were called. "There is the salt," and he handed over a large box full.
In spite of his ragged clothes and the heavy growth of beard on his face, the tramp"s hands and face were clean and he appeared to have washed his clothes, as, though they were in tatters, they were not dirty.