“If this is Narsac Lake I don’t want to stay here,” remarked Shep.  “Why, it can’t hold a candle to Cameron or Firefly.”

“No wonder nobody comes here,” grumbled Whopper.  “It’s nothing but a swamp.”

“This can’t be Lake Narsac,” answered Snap.  “Don’t you remember what we heard—–­that it is a very deep lake, set right in among the mountains.  We have made a mistake.”

“I see something ahead,” said Giant, who was standing in the bow.  “It looks to me like a signboard.  Let us row up to it.”

“A signboard is just what we want,” said Snap, and took up the oars.  Soon they reached the board, which was nailed to a post set on one of the reedy islands.  The board read as follows: 

Hooper’s Pond S. Hooper, Owner No campingers allowe

“Hooper’s Pond!” cried Snap.  “We certainly have made a mistake!”

“‘No campingers allowed,’” read the doctor’s son.  “His spelling and grammar are not very strong but he knows what he means.”

“Well, we don’t want to camp here,” said Whopper in disgust.  “Mr. S. Hooper can keep his pond to himself and welcome.”

“I think we’ll have to camp here for to-night,” said Shep.  “We can’t go back to where we took lunch with darkness coming on.  And I am hungry, too.”

They were all hungry and tired, and after a brief talk decided to remain at the pond over night and in the morning retrace their way to where the stream had forked.

“Shall we camp on one of the islands, or on the shore?” questioned Shep.

“The main thing is to find some dry spot,” answered Snap.  “To me all the ground around here looks spongy and wet.”

They tried several of the islands, but found them soft and uncertain, and so rowed over to the shore on the west.  Here was a little hill, covered with dewberries, and having cleared a spot, they erected their tent and built a campfire.

“If Mr. S. Hooper is around he may chase us away,” said Snap.  “But we’ll take the chance of his not being in this vicinity.”

The swamp was full of flies and mosquitoes, and they were glad enough to keep near the fire, to get rid of the pests.  After the cooking was done they built a smudge, of wet reeds, and this helped to keep the insects away.  But it was not a cheerful spot and when the boys went to bed all felt depressed.

Snap was the first up in the morning, and while he was getting breakfast ready, Giant took his shotgun and went off in quest of game.

“There ought to be plenty of wild fowl around a swamp like this,” said the small member of the club.  “I am going to see what I can bring down before we leave.”

“If you bring down much you’ll have Mr. S. Hooper in your wool,” answered Snap.

“I don’t believe he is around.  And, another thing, I didn’t see any fences.”

“Nor I. I guess you are safe in bringing down whatever you can hit.  But don’t stay out too long.”