“No danger,” said Giant.  “But I’ll stay with you, Whopper, while Snap and Shep get the boat.”

It was a good half hour before they had the hurt one and the game aboard the Snapper.  Here the doctor’s son opened up the medicine case which his father had insisted he should take along, and Whopper was given a little stimulant, and the cuts on his cheek and his shoulder were properly plastered up.  He was made comfortable on some cushions in the stern and told to take it easy.

“I had no idea a deer would fight so fiercely,” he said, when the others had resumed their rowing.  “Those hoofs were mighty hard and sharp, I can tell you!”

By one o’clock the young hunters reached a spot that looked good enough for a midday camp, and going ashore they lit a fire and prepared dinner.  They made themselves a pot of rich cocoa and of this Whopper partook freely and it seemed to strengthen him wonderfully.

“I think we ought to stay here until to-morrow,” said Snap.  “It will give Whopper a chance to recover,” and so it was decided, and the tent was gotten out and erected between two small trees which stood handy.

That night they treated themselves to venison steak, cut from the doe, and never was deer meat more tender or sweeter.  They also had hot bread, made by Giant in a little stone oven.  In the same oven Snap made a pan of baked beans, which were put away for future use.

The entire afternoon of the next day was spent in rowing around Lake Narsac.  They did not linger around the north shore, for it was wild and uninviting, and they had no desire to make the acquaintance of the snakes said to swarm there.  They spent two hours inspecting a large cove to the westward, and finally concluded that this spot offered the best place for a permanent camp.  There was a sandy beach, where swimming would be good, plenty of the right kind of growth for firewood, and from the rocks some distance back gushed a spring of cold and pure water.

“This is good enough for anybody,” said Snap, after a careful inspection.  “We can use the tent if we wish, or we can erect a cabin.”

“Oh, let us put up a cabin!” cried Giant.  “It is such fun building one.  Don’t you remember the other shelters we built?”

“If you build a cabin you’ll have to count me out,” said Whopper.  “I think I’ll be on the retired list for at least a few days more.”

“Whopper shall be the general boss,” cried Snap.  He took off his cap.  “In honor of our wounded comrade, I move we call this spot Camp Whopper.  All in favor say aye!”

“Aye!” came from Shep and Giant promptly.

“Camp Whopper it is,” said Snap.  “Three cheers for Whopper and his namesake!” And the cheers were given with a will.

“Whopper, you ought to make a speech,” said Giant.  “Tell us how grateful you are, how you appreciate the deep honor, and all that—–­and then invite us all out to cake, lemonade, ice cream soda, strawberry shortcake, cocoanut pie, cream puffs, and a few more delicacies.”