"Oh, let us all go to bed," answered Whopper. "I don't believe
any cannibals are coming to carry us off---or an elephant, either."
"What about a wildcat or a bear?" asked Shep.
"Well, if you are afraid you can stay awake," answered Whopper.
There was a moment of silence and then, close at hand, a hoot-owl
let out an unexpected and exceedingly weird call. Whopper gave
a jump and so did Shep, and then all of the young hunters laughed.
"I am willing to let the guard slide if the others are willing,
too," said Snap; and so it was decided.
They fixed the fire so that it would not go out, and then one
after another retired to the shelter among the bushes. The moon
was shining far above the trees and the center of the lake glistened
like a mass of silver. Occasionally they heard the hoot of the
owl, and the far-off bark of a fox, but otherwise all was silent.
When the boys awoke, the sun was shining brightly. Shep was the
first to rouse up and he slipped outside and looked around the
clearing and on to the lake. Not a person or a creature was in
sight. He stirred up the fire and piled on some wood and then
began to wash up.
"Hullo! you up already?" The call came from Snap, and soon all
of the others sprang up and came from the bush shelter.
"This is fine!" exclaimed Whopper. "My! but the lake looks grand
enough to take a bath in."
"Better try it," returned Shep, drily. "But first I'd advise
you to wash your face only."
Whopper ran to the shore and took a dip.
"Phew! Cold as Greenland's icy mountain!" he ejaculated. "Say,
if a fellow took a bath in that he'd stiffen into a mummy. No
swim for me this morning!" And after a good wash he fixed up,
and the others followed his example.
All wanted some more perch, and they went fishing for their breakfast
in true camping-out style. A mess was procured in less than half
an hour, and then they got one of the pans hot, while Snap made
coffee and brought out the last of the bread they had brought along.
"Our next bread or biscuits we'll have to make ourselves," observed
the youth.
It was so nice to take it easy that the young hunters did not
finish their breakfast and clean up again until the middle of
the forenoon. During that time they talked matters over once
more and decided to row around Lake Cameron and then make up their
minds at what point to locate.
Once more the outfit was packed on board of the rowboat and they
moved along the lake shore, slowly, taking in the advantages and
disadvantages of every spot as they went along. Some places seemed
too high and rocky and some too low and marshy, some too barren
and others too overgrown with trees and brushwood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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