"About a million snakes up there, so I once heard," put in Whopper.
"Snakes are so thick you have to kick 'em out of your way to walk
around."

"Excuse me, I don't want any snakes," answered Giant, with a shiver.

"Somebody once told me the lake was haunted," said Snap. "But of
course that wouldn't scare us---we are not afraid of ghosts, are we?"

"No!" came from all of the others promptly.

"The ghost that tries to scare me will get his ear pinched," added
Giant, and said this so drolly that all had to laugh.

"One thing is sure," said Shep, after a pause, "with fish, game,
snakes and ghosts we'd certainly find enough to interest us, eh?"

"Is the lake very deep?" asked Giant.

"Jed Sanborn told me that you can't touch bottom in some places,"
answered Snap. "The lake lies right between three tall mountains.
He said we might have to carry our boat around some of the rocks
in the stream leading to it."

"Well, we can do that to---providing the boat isn't too heavy."

This talk led to many others, and in the end it was decided that
the four boys should start on the trip the week following the
Fourth of July. Then commenced active preparations. Guns were