“This is certainly serious,” said Snap, as he did his best, assisted by the others, to pull the canvas into place once more and fasten it tight.  “We don’t want our stores ruined.”

“We can thank Mr. Andrew Felps for this experience,” grumbled Shep.  “I suppose he is snug in our cabin and laughing at us.”

“He must certainly be in the cabin,” said Giant, who had followed the others to the boat.

They could do nothing to make themselves comfortable, and so had to simply grin and bear it, which they did with the best grace possible.  They were afraid to remain under the trees for fear of getting struck by some falling branch.

“Wonder how long this is going to last?” came from Whopper, an hour later.  “Looks to me as if it was going to keep up a long time.”

“There is no telling,” answered Snap.  “I think—–­hark!”

All listened and heard a strange humming.  Then the wind began to tear through the forest with fearful violence.

“It is surely a tornado!” yelled Shep.  “Get down, all of you, or you’ll be blown to nowhere!”

CHAPTER X

GIANT AND THE MASKALONGE

The wind was making such a noise that little more could be said, and as the tornado increased all of the boys threw themselves on the ground, between a number of low bushes close to the lake shore.  The rain was coming down in veritable sheets and the water was running into the lake in hundreds of rivulets.

“There goes something!” screamed Giant, as he caught sight of an object whirling over their heads.  “Looked like a sail.”

“It was the boat canvas,” answered Whopper.  “Maybe the boat will go next.  Say, I’d just as lief be at home in my own little bed, eh?”

“Don’t mention it,” replied Giant, with a sigh.

For fully an hour the wind tore around them in a manner that alarmed the young hunters in the extreme.  They could do nothing to save either themselves or their stores, and wondered what the morning would bring forth.  More than one imagined that that was the last of the outing and they would have to return home.

But by daybreak the storm let up and the wind gradually died down to nothing but a gentle breeze.  At eight o’clock the sun broke from under the scattering clouds and then all heaved a long sigh of relief.

“I never want to put in such a night again,” said Shep.  “I was afraid every minute was going to be my last.”

“This storm undoubtedly did a great deal of damage,” said Snap.  “I shouldn’t wonder if—–­oh, look at the top of yonder tree.  What is that?”

“It’s the patch of canvas we had over the stores!” cried Giant.  “The wind took it to the top of the tree.  Somebody will have a climb to get it again!”

“I’ll go after it later on,” said Snap.  “The first thing to do is to build a big fire and get dry, otherwise we’ll all catch our deaths of cold.”