“How?”

“Somebody came to our camp and robbed us.  We thought it was your crowd.”

“Were you really robbed?” asked Shep.

“Yes; some of our best clothing is gone and also some of our stores.”

“Well, we were not near your camp, I can give you my word of honor on that,” said Snap.

“Then some common thief must have come along and done it.”

CHAPTER XX

IN A STORM ON THE LAKE

Snap and his chums were much interested in what the rival campers had to relate, and questioned the two dudes closely.  They could see that both Bush and Dudder were unusually ill at ease.

“Well, all this doesn’t help us any,” said Shep.  “It is going to storm and I want to get back to camp.  Trot around that boat, or else lend us yours.”

“We’ll have to lend you ours,” said Dick Bush.   “But---but-----”

“But what?”

“I—–­er—–­I can’t tell you,” answered Bush, and turned away.

“Is there anything else wrong?” asked Giant.  “Maybe you were over to our camp.”

“Were you?” asked Snap, catching Carl Dudder by the arm.

“Let go!”

“I want you to answer me, Dudder.”

“I wont answer!”

“Then it is true.”

“What did you do at our camp?” asked Shep.

“Go and find out!”

Carl Dudder had scarcely spoken when he found himself flat on his back, with Snap on top of him.  In the meantime the other boys caught hold of Dick Bush.

“We must get at the bottom of this,” said Snap.  “Something is wrong here, that is certain.”

“It wasn’t my plan,” whined Dick Bush, who seemed to be more cowardly than his companion.  “I—–­I didn’t do hardly anything.”

“Well, you can’t blame it on me,” retorted Carl Dudder.

“Maybe it was Ham Spink’s plan,” suggested Whopper.

“It was.”

“And what did you do?”

“Hid your stuff on you,” said Dick Bush, in a low tone.

“Anything else?”

“Well, we—–­er—–­we took a little meat and had some dinner while we were over there.”

After that the two dudish boys confessed what had been done, laying the greater part of the blame on the others of their party.  Snap and his chums were rightly indignant.

“We ought to duck you in the lake and then have you locked up,” said Snap.  “It is what you deserve.”

“No, no!” came with a shiver from Dick Bush.  “Let us off, and I’ll pay my share of the damage done.”

“It isn’t a question of money,” said Shep.  “It’s your utter meanness.”

The wind was now blowing so violently that the boys began to grow alarmed, and after a brief talk, Snap and his chums decided to follow Bush and Dodder to their camp, taking their guns with them.  The deer were hung up in some trees, out of the reach of other animals.