paddle, as he spoke so enthusiastically.

A cheer broke forth, even if it did sound rather weak, for the paddlers
were a little short of wind right then. It was the island, sure enough;
and as they picked up new vim at the prospect of being soon allowed to
rest their weary muscles and backs, the boys examined the place and its
surroundings with considerable interest.

They then exchanged looks that meant volumes. Indeed, if Catamount
Island did have a bad name, it seemed to deserve all that. The trees
were very dense, and made the place look gloomy, and as Bandy-legs
declared, "spooky." Several had partly fallen during some heavy blow,
and rested upon others that had proven better able to stand up against
the wind. A few were fashioned in weird shapes, too; and to tell the
truth, it looked as if Nature had taken pains to gather together on that
one particular island all the freak things possible.

"What do you think of it, boys?" asked Max, smiling a little as he noted
how even bold Steve was just a little bit awed by the gruesome aspect of
the place which they meant to make their stamping ground for a full
week, unless they wished to bring down upon their heads the scorn and
derision of Herb and his crowd, and hear their cries of "I told you so;
who's a scare-cat now?"

Then Steve gritted his teeth after his usual fashion, and laughed,
though truth to tell, there was not any too much mirth about that
mockery of a laugh.

"Come on, who cares for expenses! Me to be the first to put a foot on
our island," he called out, as he dropped his paddle into the water