“Look out for the fire!” yelled Snap, and as they rolled close to the flames he tried to force them back.  Then down he went himself, and the mix-up became more strenuous than ever.  It was good, healthy fun, and Tommy Cabot stood by with a broad grin on his face, enjoying it thoroughly.  As they rolled toward the woods he picked up an armful of leaves and scattered it over the crowd.  The tussle lasted for full five minutes, and then the various boys sat up almost exhausted.

“Guess you’ve got an appetite for dinner now,” observed the boy from the circus.

“Appetite!” cried Whopper.  “I could eat a house and lot!”

“With the fence and barn thrown in,” added Giant.

They washed up a bit and soon had dinner, consisting of baked maskalonge, pancakes and chocolate.  For dessert they had apples.

“Now we’ll rest for an hour and then go swimming,” said Shep, and so it was decided.  All took a nap, Tommy lying down on the grass with the faithful Wags beside him.

While fishing the boys had selected a spot for swimming, where the bottom was sloping and sandy.  They went in together, the circus boy with the others.

“You can swim?” asked Snap.

“Oh, yes.  And if I couldn’t Wags would take care of me,” answered Tommy.  “Just see him tow me!” And getting a stick he called the collie.  Wags took hold of the end and commenced to swim along, dragging his young master after him.

“Hurrah for Wags!” shouted Whopper.  “When I get tired I’ll have him haul me along for a while.”  Evidently the collie enjoyed the bath as much as did the boys.

They remained in the water for the best part of an hour, racing, diving and doing various “stunts.”  When they came out Snap declared it was the best swim he had ever had.

“It’s a pity we won’t be able to swim in the mountains,” said Giant.

“Well, we can’t expect to have everything,” returned the doctor’s son.

Having dried off and dressed, the boys returned to camp and spent the rest of the afternoon in getting ready to move early in the morning.  It was decided to hide the boat in the bushes and leave a portion of their outfit in the craft, tied down under the tarpaulin.  They would carry with them all the things needed for several days, so that a second trip would not be necessary until they felt like taking it.

“I’ll carry a share,” said Tommy.  “I’m feeling stronger than I was.”

“We’ll give you a small load,” answered the doctor’s son.

They retired early and were up at sunrise.  Tommy renewed the camp fire, and they had a meal of fish and wheatcakes, with coffee.  Then the tent was taken down and packed along with the other things.

“Now put out the fire and we’ll be off,” said Shep, and he saw to it personally that every spark of the blaze was extinguished.  As my old readers know, the boy hunters knew only too well what a forest fire meant, and they had no desire to start such a conflagration.