"I do not understand how I came to run away."
Later on he spoke of the fortune that was coming to Mrs. Caslette and himself. He remembered all the details, and through the efforts of a lawyer the hundred thousand francs at last came into possession of the rightful owners.
The bringing in of the big bear by the boy hunters caused something of a sensation in Fairview. The bear was put on exhibition for a day at one of the stores, and then cut up and the meat distributed.
The skin was properly cured, and to-day forms a rug in the Reed parlor. How the doctor came to gain possession of it will be told in another story. Of course Ham Spink and his cronies were very envious of the young hunters" luck, and they tried to circulate a story that Snap and his friends had bought the dead bear from some old hunter, but n.o.body would listen to the yarn.
"We know they can hunt," said one man. "They are the best shots in this town," and his opinion was the opinion of the majority.
"Shall we go back to the lake and the woods?" asked Snap, one day.
"Remember, the vacation is not yet half over."
"My father wants us to go back," answered the doctor"s son. "He"s got a plan he would like us to carry out." And then Shep told what the plan was. The others instantly agreed to it, and what they did will be related in the next volume of this series, to be ent.i.tled, "_Out with Gun and Camera; Or, The Boy Hunters in the Mountains_."
Taking photographs of wild animals is both exciting and dangerous, and in the new book we shall learn much concerning this new fad.
"Well, we had a dandy time," observed Snap.
"Yes, and we cleared up the mystery of the ghost in great shape,"
replied Shep.
"I"d like to bring down a few more bears," put in Whopper.
"And I"d like to get a shot at a moose," came from Giant.
"All in good time," answered Snap. "For the time we were out I think we got our full share of game."
"We certainly did!" cried the others.
THE END