“Pie-ous Time,” answered Snap, and then dodged a tin cup the other flung at him.

“We must try to reach Lake Cameron before night,” said Shep, when they were once more on the way.  “I shouldn’t care to camp out along the river.”

“Oh, you might find a worse spot,” answered Snap.  “However, we’ll get to the lake if we can.”

As my old readers know, Lake Cameron was connected with the river by a narrow creek, the banks of which were overhung with bushes.  Since the boys had come home from their last outing the rains had been heavy, consequently the creek was well filled with water.

“This makes getting through easy, and I am glad of it,” said Whopper.  “I was afraid we’d have to carry some of the stuff around, so as to lighten the boat.”

“Are you going up the lake shore very far tonight?” questioned Giant.  It was already growing dark.

“No, I think we had best camp near the mouth of the creek,” answered the doctor’s son, and the others agreed with him.

As soon as the lake was reached Giant, who was the best fisherman of the crowd, baited up and threw out his line.  For some time he did not get a bite, but then came a sharp tug, so dear to the heart of the angler.

“What have you got?” asked Whopper.

“Might be an elephant, but I—–­I guess not,” cried the small youth.

The others stopped rowing and Giant began to play his catch with care.  Soon he brought to light a fine pickerel, and dropped the fish in the bottom of the boat.

“Good for Giant!” cried Snap.  “A couple of more like that and we’ll have a dandy fish supper.”

Again the line was baited and thrown in and the boys took up their rowing.  Presently came another tug and again Giant was successful, bringing in a fish several inches larger than the first.

“This is pickerel day,” cried Whopper “Reckon I’ll try my luck,” and he did, and presently brought in a pickerel almost as large as the others.  But that was the end of the luck for the time being.

“Never mind,” said Shep.  “Three are enough.  Now to land and get our camp into shape for the night—–­and then for supper.”  And a few minutes later a landing was made.

CHAPTER VIII

THE FIRST NIGHT OUT

The boys knew the shores of Lake Cameron well, having camped there before, and they selected a spot that just suited their wants.  The rowboat was drawn up in a tiny cove and made fast, and then all hands set to work getting the tent and some of the outfit ashore.  The things left in the boat were covered carefully with the tarpaulin, to keep off the night dampness and a possible rain.

Shep had been selected as the leader during this outing, on account of what his father had done for the club, and he now directed Giant and Whopper to build the fire and get supper ready, while he and Snap erected the tent and cut some pine boughs for bedding.