were always cropping up in the minds of the trio, that even the setting
adrift of all the canoes, thus compelling the campers to swim ashore,
and foot it all the way back to Carson, would not be anything unusual
for them.

However, there need be little fear that those three frightened boys
would ever make a second attempt to land on Catamount Island, especially
during the night time. So far as they were concerned, the campers might
now rest easy; and even Bandy-legs, when he heard the facts, could draw
a relieved breath.

Max now tried to forget all about the recent little adventure, and fix
his whole mind on what lay ahead of him. He had started out on what
seemed rather a risky errand, if, as they suspected, the occupant of the
strange cabin was really a desperate escaped convict. Still, Max was a
brave lad; and having once conceived this little plan of campaign, he
could not force himself to give it up, just because it carried a spice
of danger.

He knew that at a certain point, which he had marked, he must leave the
shore of the island, and turn aside. Through dense shrubbery then his
course lay; but he had marked it well in his mind, so that he could
follow it faithfully, even in pitch darkness. And it was only a little
way, after all, before he would come upon the strange cabin with the
green roof and lichen-covered side logs.

Several times he stopped to listen, but heard no suspicious sound. Once
a small animal of some sort started off nearly under his feet, and gave
the boy a shock; but nevertheless he did not turn back. Having made his
mind up on a certain matter, it would have to be something more than