suit after stopping there they would move on to some other point.

The outfit was no light one, when it was all gotten together. For clothing, each youth had an extra set of underwear and some socks. Each carried a pair of shoes and wore boots, and also had a coat that would do for both rain and warmth.

Their stores consisted principally of flour, beans, bacon, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, condensed milk, and a few vegetables, some fresh and others canned. For cooking purposes they had a "nest" of pots and pans, of the lightest ware obtainable, and for eating carried tin plates and tin cups, and also knives, forks and spoons.

Each boy wanted to take along his shotgun, and in addition they took a rifle belonging to Mr. Dodge and a pistol loaned to them by Dr. Reed. Each youth also carried a serviceable pocket-knife and a waterproof match-safe.

"I think we've got about all we need now," said Snap, after looking at the collection. "Now all we want is those rubber blankets and the flannel ones, and then we shall be about ready to start."

"Will the rowboat hold the load?" questioned Whopper. "It seems to me there is about two thousand times too much stuff."

"The boat has got to hold it," came from Giant. "But what I am thinking of is, what a job we'll have carrying the load after we leave the boat."

"Well, if it's too heavy we can make two trips instead of one," said Shep, and so it was agreed.

CHAPTER III

DOWN THE RIVER

When Snap awoke on Sunday morning, he was very much discouraged, for the sky was overcast, and by church-time it was raining steadily.

"This will make it beastly for a start," he grumbled, while on his way to church in the family carriage.

"Never mind," answered his father. "You can start Tuesday as well as Monday."

"I'd rather start on time," answered the impatient boy. His mind was so taken up by the proposed outing he could scarcely bring himself to listen to the sermon; and what was true of Snap was also largely true of the others.

By nightfall the rain cleared away, and when Snap went to bed the moon was shining brightly. The boy could hardly go to sleep, and when he slumbered, dreamed of being in camp, with wolves and bears and deer on all sides of him. Then he dreamed that it began to hail, louder and louder, and he awoke to hear some pebbles being thrown against the window-pane. He sprang up, rushed to the window and saw Giant standing in the yard, fully ready for a start.

"Hullo, you! How long are you going to snooze?" demanded the small youth. "I've been ready for an hour. Don't you know that this is the all-important day?"

"I do!" cried Snap. "What time is it?"

"Half-past six. I wanted to start by six."

"We're to start at eight o'clock," answered Snap, and hurried into his clothing with all possible speed.

By seven o'clock all of the boys had had a good breakfast and then they bid their folks good-by and hurried down to the river. It was a glorious morning, as clear as crystal after the rain, and with just the faintest breeze blowing.

The stores had been packed away on Saturday in a boathouse nearby, and it was an easy matter to transfer them to the rowboat. The craft was rather crowded with goods and boys, but the lads made the best of it. Only two could use the oars, so they took turns at rowing, Snap and Whopper taking the blades at first, with Giant in the bow and Shep in the stern, steering.

Nearly everybody in the town had heard about the outing, and many came to see them off.

"They'll be back in a week," said one big boy, with a laugh.
"Just wait till they catch a rainy spell."

"You're only mad because you can't go along, Ham Spink!" cried Snap.

"Bah! I wouldn't go with you!" retorted Ham Spink. "When I go out I'll do it in first-class style and with an A1 guide. No little two-cent trip for me."

Hamilton Spink was the son of a very aristocratic man who had come to Fairview a year before. Ham, as all the boys called him, was very much of a dude and always thought himself superior to the regular town boys. He smoked cigarettes and played pool and golf and rode horseback, and did as much "showing off" as he possibly could. As a consequence the majority of the boys detested him.

"This isn't a two-cent trip!" cried Shep. "I don't thank you to call it such."

"I'll call it what I please," muttered the dudish youth.

"Oh, dry off and keep cool!" came from Whopper, and he allowed his oar to slip on purpose, sending a shower of water over the youth on the dock.

"Hi! hi! stop!" came angrily, as Ham backed away. "How dare you do such a thing!" and the dudish boy got out a silk handkerchief and began to wipe the water from his face and high collar.

"Excuse me," answered Whopper, drily. "I beg two million pardons, Ham. You see, I was holding the oar this way and I turned it so, and I—-well, I declare, there she goes again!" And once more poor Ham received a shower of water over his rather elegant suit.

"I'll—-I'll have, the constable lock you up!" spluttered the dudish boy, backing away rapidly. "This is—-er—-outrageous—-I'll—- I'll tell your folks!"

"That's right, be a tattle-tale!" came from Giant, and then he began to sing softly.

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!
Ham's the best of meat!"

"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan!
Ham is good and sweet!"

"You stop that!" roared Ham Spink, and then, as a dozen boys on the dock took up the darky song, he turned and strode away, with his rather short nose tilted high in the air.

"Do you think he'll call on our folks about this?" whispered Whopper, somewhat anxiously. "I shouldn't like to leave under a cloud."

"Oh! he hasn't got backbone enough to make trouble," answered
Shep. But Shep was mistaken, as we shall learn later.

The rowboat was now some distance from the dock, and with a final wave of the hand the boys began the journey to Lake Cameron.

In a straight line the lake was about ten miles from the town, but the river was a winding one, so they had a row of over thirteen miles before them.

"I hope we haven't forgotten anything," said Whopper. "It would be a shame to have to go back, eh, fellows?"

"We are not going back," returned Giant. "If anything has been left behind we will have to get along without it."

Having left the town behind, the boys reached a point on the stream where the trees and bushes were thick on either side. They turned in toward the left bank, where the sun was not quite so strong, for in spite of the fact that it was fall it promised to be warm.

"Be careful along here," cautioned Shep. "There are some big rocks just under the surface."

He had scarcely spoken when there came a terrific bump which almost threw him overboard. Whopper was sent sprawling on his side, and his oar sent a shower of water over Giant.

"Wow!" came from Whopper. "Say, did we strike a fortress or what?
I thought I was going to the bottom sure!"

"I said to be careful," answered Shep, as the craft sheered off.
"Either move out to the middle of the stream or else go slower."

"No use of moving to the middle of the stream now," said Giant.
"I