into the woods again, this time taking their outfits on sleds.
They had with them their snowshoes, and found the latter articles
very useful when out after game. They fixed up a comfortable
camp, and rescued a half-frozen tramp. But the tramp did not
appreciate what had been done for him and ran away with some of
their things, which brought on a lively pursuit. Then the boys
had more trouble with Ham Spink and his crony, Carl Dudder. In
the end it was discovered that Ham and Carl had gotten the tramp
to annoy the young hunters, and as a result Mr. Spink and Mr.
Dudder had to foot some heavy bills for their sons. Ham and Carl
were sent off to a strict boarding school, where their parents
hoped they would turn over a new leaf. Snap and his chums came
back home loaded down with game.

"The best outing ever!" declared more than one of the boys.

"We'll have to go again!"

"Yes, indeed!"

And then and there they began to plan what to do during the next
vacation.

"I've got an idea," said Snap, one day, during the spring. "Why
not get a good boat---one that will stand some hard knocks---and
go through Lake Cameron and Firefly Lake to Lake Narsac? Jed
Sanborn was telling me that was a fine place for hunting and fishing,
and the lake is as clear as crystal."

"It's an awfully wild place, so I was told," said Shep.