But the others preferred to get back to camp if possible, and Whopper volunteered to paddle up the shore, while Shep rowed in the other direction.  If either found the camp he was to whistle or fire a shot as a signal.

“Listen,” said Giant, after he and Snap had been left alone over a quarter of an hour.  “I hear voices!”

Both strained their ears, and from the lake they heard a confused murmur.  Then came the splashing of oars or paddles, and an exclamation of disgust.

“It is the Spink crowd!” cried Snap.  “They are on the lake.  They must have followed us on the raft!”

“Yes, and they are stuck on the sand bar, just as we were,” said Giant, and grinned to himself in the dark.  “I hope they have to stay there!”

The talking out on the lake continued, but presently it died away in the distance.  Evidently the party had freed the raft from the sand bar and was paddling in another direction.

When Whopper came back he said he had located the camp only a short distance away.  The others then whistled for Shep, who soon came in, and Snap and Giant told what they had heard.

“We’ll get to camp and prepare to give those fellows a hot reception,” said the leader of the club.  And then the two rowboats and the canoe moved off without further delay.

The camp gained, all of the boats were hauled up into the bushes out of sight and the outfit was taken back to the cabin.  This had just been accomplished when Giant, who was on guard, announced that the raft was coming ashore not a great distance away.

“Might as well warn them off,” said Snap.  “Everybody take his gun, and we’ll take torches, too.”

This plan was speedily carried out, and just as Ham Spink started to leap to the shore he found himself confronted by the four boy hunters, each with a torch in one hand and his gun held out in the other.

“Stop, Ham Spink!” cried Snap.  “Don’t you dare to step a foot further!”

“Discovered!” muttered Carl Dudder, in disgust.  “I told you to be careful.”

“I want to talk to you,” murmured Ham, not knowing what else to say.”

“To-morrow morning, at ten o’clock, at your camp,” answered Snap promptly.  “That was the bargain.”

“But see here-----”

“We won’t waste words, Ham.  It’s ten o’clock to-morrow and nothing else.”

“We want our boat and our canoe, and we want them now,” cried Ike Akley.

“It is not for you to dictate, Ike Akley,” said Shep.  “We want you to leave and be quick about it.  We don’t intend to stay up all night fooling with you.”

“Let us have our boat and the canoe and we’ll promise not to molest you again,” said Ham, quite humbly.

“To-morrow, at ten o’clock,” said Snap, as firmly as ever.  “And let me tell you another thing.  If you don’t leave us alone now perhaps you’ll not get the boat and the canoe at all.”