“Humph!  I could get ready in an hour,” murmured Whopper.  “What’s there to do anyway?  Pick up our guns, pack up some grub, take along a tent and some fishing tackle, and there you are.  Easy as sliding off a banana peel.”

“Is it?” came from Snap.  “That’s all you know about it.  In the first place, you must remember that this is no outing for a day or two, or even a week.  We have got to take supplies for at least a month, if not two months.  And I don’t want to live in a tent when it gets good and cold.  We’ve got to build a shack of some sort.  There will be a hundred and one things to do before we are ready to start.  And it is going to cost something, too.”

“How much?” asked Giant, anxiously.  “Please don’t make the amount too high, or I won’t be able to stand for my share.”

“We’ll figure it out,” said Snap, producing a note-book and a pencil.  “I suppose when it comes to such things as flour, sugar, salt, coffee and the like, we can get them from our homes.  But there are other things that we will have to buy.  For instance, we will need plenty of powder and shot, and we’ll want to take medicines and plasters along, in case of accidents-----”

“I can get those from my father,” interrupted Shep.  “He has an emergency case that will be just the thing.”

“How about-----” began Giant, when he stopped short, to gaze at
a man who was running down the road at top speed.   “Hullo, Mr.
Harrison!” he called.   “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Goin’ to the fire!” was the puffed-out answer.

“Fire?” ejaculated all of the boys, leaping to their feet.  “Where?”

“Down the river.  Reckon it’s the Barnaby mill,” and the man went on his way.

The boys gazed down the river and saw a thick volume of smoke rolling skyward.  Men and boys were running toward it from every direction.

“It’s the mill, as sure as fate!” cried Snap.  “Come on, I’m going to the fire, fellows!” And away he started.

“Isn’t that the mill in which your father owns an interest?” asked Whopper.

“Yes; he owns a third share,” answered Snap.

CHAPTER II

THE FIRE AT THE SAW MILL

It was indeed the Barnaby place that was going up in flames, and already the fire had gained much headway.  The place was composed of the saw mill proper and half a dozen sheds used for the storage of cut lumber.  The plant was valued at thirty thousand dollars, so if it was swept away the loss would be a heavy one.

The mill was a good half mile from the orchard, but the boys were all good runners and covered the distance in a few minutes, Shep and Snap arriving there first and little Giant bringing up the rear, with a face as red as a beet.

A dozen men and boys were on hand, besides the mill workers, and a bucket brigade had been formed to throw buckets of water taken from the river on the flames.  Some men were bringing out a line of hose, which was presently attached to the engine of the mill itself.