“Well,” commented Max, who seemed to be the most confident one of the quartette, “remember, if we fail to make connections it’ll be the first time on record that we’ve really been stumped.  I don’t believe in hard-luck stories.  As a rule success comes only to those who deserve it.  And we’ve still got most of that two weeks’ vacation ahead of us, to hunt around for Roland Chase.”

Somehow Max always seemed to say things calculated to make his chums feel more satisfied.  It is a mighty good thing to have a real optimist in camp, especially when the weather gets bad, and everything else seems to go wrong.  Even Bandy-legs took on a more cheerful air, and brightened up after hearing Max say this.  They had more or less reason to feel proud of the record they had made in the past, so far as accomplishing things went.  And the people around Carson would be apt to tell any one inquiring about Max and his cronies that they had actually done several exceedingly smart things, and were boys far above the average.

The supper was voted a huge success, and never had fish been fried a more delicious brown than those in the pan.  Perhaps Steve entertained a private opinion of his own, to the effect that never had a higher price been paid for a mess of fish than he offered up when he found himself made a prisoner of the unseen giant residing under the quicksands; but all the same, Steve devoured his share of the fish as smartly as the next one.  He doubtless felt that he deserved having a feast, after his adventure in supplying the materials.

They were almost through eating, and feeling particularly well satisfied, as is usually the case, when the appetite has been taken care of, when Toby Jucklin was seen to be staring straight ahead.

“What ails you, Toby?” demanded Steve, discovering the mysterious actions of the other.  “Think you see a ghost; or was it a ’coon whisked past, smelling our fine spread here?  Speak up, can’t you, and tell us?”

Toby managed to find his tongue, and as usual when excited made quite a mess of his explanation.

“W-w-why, y-y-you s-s-see, I—­t-that is, there’s s-s-somebody—­oh! look for yourselves and you’ll understand quicker’n I c’n tell you!”

Sometimes Toby seemed to become so provoked with his ungovernable vocal organs that he would get angry, and wind up by speaking as plainly as the next one.

But before then Max, and perhaps the other pair in the bargain, had discovered a figure advancing slowly toward them.  Eagerly Bandy-legs stared.  Perhaps he began to already entertain a wild hope that the newcomer would prove to be the very boy whom they had come so far to find; but if this were so he must have almost immediately discovered his mistake, for the other was a sun-burned and wind-tanned lad, sturdily built, and apparently the son of some woods guide; for he carried a gun, and was dressed in rough though serviceable khaki trousers and blue flannel shirt.