"Oh, Wyn! do you think so?" asked Mina, hopefully. "Look ahead," commanded Wyn. "There are the boys' canoes. They paddled over here this morning and dressed up in those old moth-eaten buffalo robes they had over there, on the island, and managed to frighten us nicely." "That's it! They played a joke on us," began Frank, laughing. But Mrs. Havel was angry. "They should be sent home for playing such a trick," she said, "and I shall speak to Professor Skillings about it." "Pooh!" said Wyn. "They're only boys. And of course they'll be up to such tricks. The thing to do is to go them one better." "How, Wyn, how?" cried her mates. "I do not know that I can allow this, Wynifred," began Mrs. Havel, doubtfully. "You wish to punish them; don't you, Mrs. Havel?" "They should be punished--yes." "Then we have the chance," cried Wyn, gleefully. "You go back to the camp, Mrs. Havel, and we girls will take their canoes--every one of them. We'll call them the trophies of war, and we'll make the Busters pay--and pay well for them--before they get their canoes back. What do you say, girls?" "Splendid!" cried Frank. "And they frightened me so!" "Look out for the biscuits, Mrs. Havel, please," begged Bess. "I am afraid they will be burned." The lady returned hurriedly to the camp on the top of the hillock. When she mounted the rise from the shore, there was a circle of giggling youths about the open fireplace and a pile of moth-eaten buffalo hides near by. Dave was messing with the Dutch oven in which Bess had just before put the pan of biscuit for breakfast. "Ho, ho!" cried Tubby. "Where are the girls?" "Bear hunting, I bet!" cried Ferd Roberts. "Good-morning, Mrs. Havel," said Dave, smiling rather sheepishly. "I hope we didn't scare _you_." "You rather startled me--coming unannounced," admitted Mrs. Havel, but smiling quietly. "You surely have not breakfasted so early?" "No. That's part of the game," declared another youth. "We claim forfeit--and in this case take payment in eats." "I am afraid you are more slangy than understandable," returned Mrs. Havel. "Did you come for something particular?" "Goodness! didn't you see those girls running?" cried Ferd. "Running? Where to?" queried the chaperone. Dave began to look more serious. "Perhaps they are running yet!" squealed Tubby, only seeing the fun of it. "Bet they've gone for help to hunt the bears," laughed another of the reckless youngsters. "They'll get out the whole countryside to find 'em," choked Ferdinand Roberts. "That's _too_ rich." "Are you sure the girls didn't come your way, Mrs. Havel?" asked Dave, with anxiety. "Oh, the girls will be back presently. I came up to see to the biscuit, Mr. Shepard. About inviting you to breakfast--You know, I am only a guest of Green Knoll Camp myself. I couldn't invite you," said Mrs. Havel, demurely. The boys looked at each other in some surprise and Tubby's face fell woefully.