“Yes,” answered Shep.  “Don’t you like it?”

“Like it!  I think it’s the—–­the best ever!  Couldn’t be better!” was the hearty reply.

“I think it will make you fat and strong, Tommy, and that’s what you need.”

“And another thing,” answered the boy.  “Those circus people can’t find me out here.”

“It’s not likely.”

Everybody was glad that a permanent camp had been reached at last, and that night all slept “like rocks,” to use Giant’s way of expressing it.  They left Wags on guard, but this was unnecessary, for nothing came to disturb them.

The next day was spent in perfecting the camp and in taking care of what remained of the fish and of the venison.  The skins were nailed up in the sun to dry.  The boys were sorry they could not keep all of the meat, but this was impossible, as they had no ice and no means of smoking or pickling it.

“Here comes somebody!” cried Whopper, while they sat around waiting for supper, which Snap and Tommy were preparing.  Two boys were approaching, and as they came closer the young hunters recognized Ham Spink and his close crony, Carl Dudder.

CHAPTER XVI

A VISIT FROM THE ENEMY

“Wonder what they want?” whispered Shep as the newcomers drew closer.

“Perhaps they have only come out of idle curiosity,” returned Snap.

“Well, in that case, they had better stay away,” grumbled Giant.

Ham Spink and Carl Dudder came up slowly.  To tell the truth, they were a bit afraid, thinking the others might jump on them and begin a fight, because of what had happened at the Fairview dock.

“Hello!” said Ham presently.  He did not know how else to start a conversation.

“Hello yourself!” responded the doctor’s son shortly.

“Going to camp out here, eh?” went on the dudish youth.

“Oh, no; we’ve opened an oyster house,” returned Whopper, who was bound to have his fun.

“Humph!  Frank Dawson, you needn’t get funny!”

“Was I funny?  I didn’t see you laugh.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Expect to do some big hunting, I suppose?” said Carl Dudder with a bit of a sneer in his tones.

“We generally do pretty well when we are out,” responded Snap.

“Following us up, eh?”

“Not at all.”

“Yes, you are.  You knew we were coming here.”

“And you know who this tract of land belongs to, now?” said the doctor’s son.

“It isn’t fenced in,” answered Carl, and his face took on a leer.  “Anybody can hunt here who wants to.”

“That is true—–­but it will be fenced in next season.  And, by the way, what right had you to tear down one of the signboards and use it for firewood?”

“Who said we did that?” demanded Ham.

“We saw the half-burned board at your camp fire.”