islands, covered with reeds and rushes and small, thorny bushes.

The sun had gone down, and as the darkness increased the boys looked
at each other wonderingly. This was not at all what they had expected.

"If this is Narsac Lake I don't want to stay here," remarked Shep.
"Why, it can't hold a candle to Cameron or Firefly."

"No wonder nobody comes here," grumbled Whopper. "It's nothing but
a swamp."

"This can't be Lake Narsac," answered Snap. "Don't you remember what
we heard---that it is a very deep lake, set right in among the
mountains. We have made a mistake."

"I see something ahead," said Giant, who was standing in the bow. "It
looks to me like a signboard. Let us row up to it."

"A signboard is just what we want," said Snap, and took up the
oars. Soon they reached the board, which was nailed to a post
set on one of the reedy islands. The board read as follows:

Hooper's Pond S. Hooper, Owner No campingers allowe

"Hooper's Pond!" cried Snap. "We certainly have made a mistake!"

"'No campingers allowed,'" read the doctor's son. "His spelling
and grammar are not very strong but he knows what he means."

"Well, we don't want to camp here," said Whopper in disgust. "Mr.