“Well, you want to keep your eyes open for bears,” added Sam, thinking he scented fun ahead.

“How vos I going to keep mine eyes oben of I go to sleep, tell me dot”?

“You’ll have to figure that out yourself, Hansy, old boy ;” and here the talk had to come to an end.

By the middle of the afternoon they came in sight of Bass Lake, a beautiful sheet of water about two miles and a half long by nearly half a mile wide.  Close to the south shore lay Pine Island, so called because it was covered in spots with tall pine trees.  Between the main shore and Pine Island were two smaller islands, and there were low wooden bridges from one to the other, connecting the big island with the mainland.

The wagons had already gone over the bridges to the spot selected for the camp, and now the battalion marched across, from island to island, under low arching trees and over ground covered with fallen leaves and moss.

“What a grand spot for a camp!”

It was Dick who uttered the words when the final halt was made.  His words were true, and his fellow students agreed with him that Captain Putnam could not have made a better selection.

There was an open space nearly an acre in extent, covered with short grass and sloping slightly toward the lake.  At the water’s edge was a small wooden dock, where the boats were tied up, and next to this a sandy strip excellent for bathing purposes.  Back of the open space was a fine grove of trees, to which the students could retire when the sun became too hot for them.  More trees lined the north shore, some hanging out far over the water, making ideal spots for reading or fishing.  There were beautiful walks through the woods, and in the center of the island was a rocky hill from the top of which one could obtain a view of the country for several miles around.

Captain Putnam insisted upon it that the camp be laid out in true military fashion, and two students who knew a little about civil engineering put down the necessary stakes.  There was a street for each company, with a tent for the captain and his lieutenants at the head.  Each tent was of the wall pattern and large enough to accommodate four soldiers.  That the flooring of the tent might be kept dry around each a trench was dug, by which the water could run off when it rained.  On the bottom pine boughs were strewn, giving a delicious smell to the interior.

“This smell of pine is very good for a cold in the head,” said Major Larry to Dick.  “My sister always uses a pillow filled with pine needles for that purpose.”

The students worked hard that evening getting their tents ready for occupancy and as a consequence all were glad to retire when the proper time came.  Captain Putnam had expected that there would be some skylarking, but he was mistaken.  That was to come later—­when the lads felt more rested.

CHAPTER XVI