The distance to where they had left their own craft was not quite half a mile, and they reached the spot in less than a quarter of an hour.  They pulled inshore, to find their boat just as it had been left.

“Now, the quicker we work the better,” said the doctor’s son.  “I’ve got an idea,” he went on, as he caught sight of a tiny island about a hundred feet from shore.  “Why not tie their boat fast over there?  Then if they want it they can swim for it.”

“Good!” cried Snap, and grinned.

Taking their own boat along, they rowed to the island, and there the Spink craft was made fast on the side next to the main shore and in plain view of anybody who might be passing.  On the shore of the island Snap stuck up one of the oars and on the top placed a rubber boot he found in the rowboat—–­one of a pair Ham had brought along in case of prolonged wet weather.

“Ham will recognize that rubber boot,” said Snap.  “And then he’ll know the boat is his.”  The sight of the rubber boot on the top of the oar was a comical one and the boys had to laugh as they looked at it.

Having fastened the boat so that it could not possibly drift away, the boys boarded their own craft and rowed still farther up Firefly Lake, until they came to a cove and a creek, the latter thickly overhung with bushes.  They pulled the craft out of sight, so that to find it without knowing where it was located would be practically impossible.

“Now, then, to take our things and go into camp for the night,” said the doctor’s son.  “We’ll have to find some shelter under the rocks, not having a tent.”

The boys knew the locality fairly well, from their previous visits, and walked to where there was a split in the hills.  Here was located a rocky cliff, hollowed out somewhat at the bottom.

“We can camp here,” said Shep.  “With a camp fire in front the hollow will be quite comfortable.”

While in the cove they had managed to catch a few perch and a pickerel, and starting a blaze, they cooked these.  They had some crackers and cheese along, so made a comfortable if not an elaborate meal, washing it down with a drink from a spring.

“We ought to get to bed early,” said Snap.  “Then we can start back for camp at sunrise, and so get ahead of the Spink crowd.”

“Oh, they won’t go back until they find their boat,” said Giant.

“I don’t know about that,” said the doctor’s son.  “They may get mad and lay it to us and start back to-night.  You can never tell what Ham Spink and Carl Dudder will do.  Dick Bush isn’t quite so bad.”

As it was warm, they allowed the fire to die down, and by nine o’clock all were sleeping soundly.  They did not think it necessary to stand guard, for the hollow was well screened from outside observation, and they had all their traps behind them, next to the cliff.

How long he had been asleep the doctor’s son did not know, but he awoke with a start, feeling something pressing on his breast.  He gave a yell of fright and alarm and added another yell as he felt his leg pulled.  Then a dark body fled from the hollow and went crashing through the bushes beyond.