again, and urged his little buoyant canvas canoe onward with vigorous
sweeps.

"_Our_ island! Listen to him, would you? Oh! like that, now. As for me,
you don't hear me claiming a foot of the old place. Ugh! it's enough to
make a fellow shiver just to look at it. And it smells like cats or
skunks lived around here. But if the rest of you are bound to go ashore,
I suppose I'll have to follow suit. But I'm glad I said good-by to
everybody before I came up here."

Nobody paid any attention to what Bandy-legs was saying, as just then
they were making for the lower shore of the island, where a fair landing
place seemed to offer its services.

The rest were all ashore and looking around, before Bandy-legs managed
to jump out of his cranky cedar canoe. He acted as though glad at least
to have arrived safe and sound, if very sore.

Pretty soon the whole of them were as busy as beavers, putting up the
two tents on ground which Max had selected as suitable for the camp. In
doing this he had to consider a number of things, such as a view of the
river, nearness to the boats, a chance for drainage in case of a summer
storm that might otherwise flood them out, and soak everything they
owned; and such matters that an old and experienced camper never fails
to remember in the start.

Then came the delightful task of getting the first meal. That is always
a pleasure, though it begins to pall upon the party before the weekend.
Everybody wanted to have a hand in that first meal, and so Max fixed it
that they could enjoy the privilege to their heart's content.