On the other hand, Bluff Masters could never get it through his head what
need there was for all this fuss and feathers about giving the game a
chance; he had the old primal instinct of the red Indian, whose one
desire was to secure his quarry, no matter whether by hook or by crook;
since Bluff never pretended to be anything of a shot, or an expert
angler, perhaps he was right in believing that, so far as he was
concerned, the game had all the chance necessary at any and all times.

Frank Langdon, as mentioned before, was the son of the banker, and having
lived up in Maine knew about all there was to know about the tricks of
campers; since his chums as yet had had only limited chances to discover
what the extent of his knowledge might be, they were very anxious to put
Frank to the test, and learn a few of the said wrinkles, calculated to
make them better sportsmen.

Frank had one sister, a pretty girl named Nellie, and Bluff Masters
had shown a decided partiality for her ever since they were first
brought together.

The last one of the quartette, Will Milton, was one of the rich widow's
two children, and since he and Frank were deeply interested in
photography, it was perhaps only natural that Frank should be attracted
by Will's twin sister, Violet, whom he believed to be the sweetest girl
of his acquaintance.

These four boys attended the private school of Alexander Gregory, D.P.,
and the sudden announcement that during a recent storm the buildings had
suffered so severely as to necessitate the closing of the academy for a
limited period, had fallen upon the community like a thunderbolt from a
clear sky.