CHAPTER XII ON BLUEBELL ISLAND Jack Rover was much surprised over the statement made by his sister Martha. Bill Glutts had not returned to Colby Hall after his unfortunate experiences in the woods the Winter previous, nor had Gabe Werner shown himself in the vicinity of the military academy. "Have you any idea what they were doing around Clearwater Hall?" he questioned. "I have not, Jack. But I feel sure they were not up to anything good." "Did they say anything to either of you?" "Oh, no. As soon as I saw them they sprang out of sight behind some trees, and this morning, when they caught sight of Mary, they hurried off in the direction of Haven Point." "I think I had better tell the others about this, then we can all be on our guard. Those fellows do not belong anywhere near Haven Point, and in my opinion they cannot be here for any good purpose." Jack was thinking of the anonymous letter which had been received and which he now felt certain had been penned by Werner. "If you tell the others now it will spoil the whole outing," pouted Martha. "Why don't you wait until to-night?" "All right, I'll do that. And when you girls are by yourselves you and Mary must tell the others." And so it was agreed. Those ahead had already reached the vicinity of the rocks and trees, and now began a diligent hunt by all for the rare ferns said to be growing there. "Our idea was to empty the lunch from the shoeboxes and then fill the boxes with ferns," said Ruth. The girls had brought a tablecloth with them to spread on the ground, and the entire lunch was placed in this and then wrapped in a newspaper and placed on a flat rock. "I wonder if the squirrels will bother the lunch?" questioned Fred. They had noted several of the frisky little animals flitting from tree to tree as they walked along. "The squirrels want nuts. I don't think they care for mustard sandwiches and onion cake," cried Andy. "Gee! but it feels good to be out here," he went on, and, leaping up, he grasped the limb of a low-growing tree and went through the performance generally known as "skinning the cat." "Oh, Andy, do be careful!" called out his cousin Mary. "First thing you know you'll twist your arms off." "Oh, I do this every morning before I wake up," answered the fun-loving Rover cheerfully. "I'll get him down!" cried Randy, and, taking up a handful of dead leaves, he threw them at his twin. Andy promptly gave a swing, let go of the tree, and landed on his brother's shoulders, and both went down to the ground, there to roll over and over, kicking the dead leaves in all directions. "Hi, you!" cried Jack sternly. "What sort of a ladies' exhibition is this! Get up there before I yank you up!" "You'll have those beautiful suits ruined," came from Annie Larkins. The search for the rare ferns then began in earnest, and this led them through the woods and around a great number of sharp rocks and a considerable distance away from where the things to eat had been left.