It would be hard to tell whether the boys were frightened or not.
They were much disturbed, but they had a strong curiosity to know what the mysterious voice really was. Had it been night they might have experienced more fear, but it was still daylight, although the sun was well over in the west.
Holding their guns ready to shoot anything on sight, they advanced slowly through the forest, making a circle first to one side and then to the other. As they advanced they stirred up several birds and also two squirrels but did not fire at them. Thus an hour pa.s.sed, and at last they came back to the spring utterly baffled.
"I can"t understand it at all," declared Snap. "There must be some reason for this."
"It"s a trick, that"s what it is, and some day somebody will get to the bottom of it," added the doctor"s son.
They returned to where they had left Whopper and Giant. As it grew darker they built a good campfire and resolved to keep it burning brightly all night.
"Maybe if this particular spot is haunted, we had better go somewhere else," suggested Giant.
"I move we stay right here until we find out what that thing means,"
said Snap, stubbornly.
"I agree with Snap," added the doctor"s son. "We all know well enough there are no such things as ghosts. Some day we"ll solve this mystery."
Both Snap and Shep spoke so positively that Whopper and Giant were rea.s.sured. The tent was fixed up for the night, and Whopper was soon fast asleep. The others took turns at standing guard, but nothing came to disturb them.
In the morning it was decided to begin building a cabin without delay. As Whopper could not work he went out to fish, but remained within easy calling distance.
The young hunters worked all of that week and also Monday of the next, and during that time nothing came to disturb them. Once they sighted a deer up the lake sh.o.r.e and went after the game, but without success. Whopper spent most of his time fishing and brought in, besides trout and perch, several good sized maskalonge, although no particular fish as large as the maskalonge Giant had captured the summer previous.
As the days went by and nothing more was heard of the mysterious voice, the young hunters grew more confident and almost forgot about the affair. The building of the cabin interested them very much, and although the structure was foursquare and plain, it was waterproof and fairly comfortable. It had two small windows, and the door opened on the lake side. In the rear a small opening was left near the ground, and here they constructed a rude fireplace and chimney of such rocks as they found handy, smearing the cracks full of clay. Their work on the fireplace and chimney might have caused a regular mason to smile, but the chimney drew well, and that was all they wanted.
As soon as the cabin was finished the young hunters moved in and proceeded to make themselves at home. Then they cut enough firewood to last for a week or more, stacking it up so that it might keep dry even in rainy weather. This done, they felt they could now take it easy, and fish and hunt whenever it pleased them to do so.
A hard rain, lasting a day and a night, was followed by a clear, warm spell and during that time the boys enjoyed themselves to their hearts" content. Whopper was now practically well, although the cut on his cheek still sported several bits of court-plaster.
Every morning the young hunters got up at sunrise and took a dip in the lake, following this up by a good rub-down, for they had brought the necessary coa.r.s.e towels with them. This always rendered them wideawake and gave them appet.i.tes which could not have been better. They took turns at cooking and baking, and at washing dishes and keeping the fire supplied with wood. They were certainly happy, and the time seemed to "fairly fly," as Shep expressed it.
One afternoon, when Snap and Giant were fishing just below the camp, both boys chanced to glance down the lake and saw a large boat hugging the sh.o.r.e. It contained several persons, but was too far off for anybody to be recognized. The boat remained in sight several minutes and then disappeared into one of the numerous coves along the sh.o.r.e.
"More campers," was Snap"s comment. "Well, I suppose they have as much right up here as we have."
"I"d like to know who they are," answered Giant.
"Perhaps they"ll come this way later in the day, or to-morrow."
"I always like to know if other hunters are in the woods, and I like them to know I am there, too," went on the leader of the club.
"Then there is not so much danger of an accident. I don"t want somebody to take me for a deer or a bear and shoot me."
"If we find they are stopping around this vicinity we"ll have to notify them that we are here," answered Giant.
That day went by and also the next, and they, saw no more of the strangers. Then Shep came in with the announcement that he had seen four or five deer up the lake sh.o.r.e.
"I am sure we can get one or more of them if we hurry," declared the doctor"s son.
They were all willing to go after the deer, and having shut up the cabin and kicked out the campfire so that it might not set fire to the woods should a stiff breeze spring up, they set off on foot, taking to a deer trail, which ran a short distance back from the water"s edge.
The walking was by no means good, but this the boys did not mind.
The life in the open was making them strong and able to endure almost anything. Their cheeks were full and round and their complexions a healthy tan. All felt like whistling and singing, but they knew they must make as little noise as possible.
If anybody was nervous it was Whopper and the others said nothing when he dragged a little behind. But all kept on steadily until they knew they must be close to the spot where the game had been seen.
"Suppose I go ahead and take a look?" asked Shep, and the others nodded. A moment later the doctor"s son disappeared among the bushes lining the lake sh.o.r.e.
When he came back he said the deer were moving up the lake front and as a consequence all hands followed with all possible speed.
They kept up the chase for nearly an hour and once saw the game, but the deer were too far away to take a shot. Then the game started to run, and speedily disappeared.
"That"s the time we got left," grumbled Shep. "Too bad!"
"It can"t be helped," answered Snap. "We can"t expect to bring down something every time we go out. If we did that there would be no fun in hunting."
Then the young hunters started back for camp, never dreaming of the disagreeable surprise which awaited them.
CHAPTER XXI
IN WHICH THE ENEMY APPEARS AGAIN
On the way back to camp Shep brought down a squirrel and Whopper knocked over a rabbit, so the quest after game was not altogether fruitless.
The boys had covered a good stretch of ground, and they were pretty well tired out when they came within sight of the cabin.
"Oh, fellows, look!" screamed Giant suddenly. "The cabin is on fire!"
He pointed ahead, and a glance showed his chums that he spoke the truth. All broke into a run, and they reached the shelter almost in the time it takes to tell it. Smoke was coming out of the door and windows, but as yet the fire had gained little headway.
It was confined to some brushwood which had been thrust inside, against one of the log walls.
"Some enemy has done this!" cried Snap, angrily. "Look out, I am going to drag this fire outside."
With his bare hands Snap caught at one end of burning brush and hauled it through the open doorway. As soon as he had done this the doctor"s son leaped into the cabin and kicked out the rest of the fire. He could stay but a minute, for the smoke almost strangled him. Then Whopper and Giant went in and made certain the fire was out. Soon the smoke commenced to clear away; and the momentary excitement was over.
"Now, what does this mean?" demanded Snap, and his voice was full of anger.
"It means that we have been cleaned out," answered the doctor"s son, after a hasty glance around. "Look!"
He pointed to a shelf in a corner on which they, had placed some of their stores, and then to the fireplace, and to the log that had contained their cups, plates and cooking utensils. Everything was gone.
"Robbed!" said Whopper, laconically. "What a shame!
"And they were going to burn down the cabin on us, too," added Giant, bitterly. "I wonder if they touched the boat?"
At this question all ran outside and down to where the _Snapper_ had been tied to an overhanging tree. The rowboat had disappeared.