No response followed. Although the five boys watched eagerly to see if
any figure that might correspond with the queer cabin came out of the
partly opened door, nothing happened.

"Cabin, ahoy!" sang out Steve, in a very loud, gruff voice, that surely
merited some attention, if so be there chanced to be any one at home.

He met with no better success than had attended the salute of Max. The
boys exchanged glances, and nodded, as if their minds were made up.

"If the mountain won't come to Mahomet, then he's just got to go to the
mountain, that's all," Owen remarked, as he started to push forward.

Every one began to move at the same time, and in this sort of hollow
square, with the menacing fish spear gripped by Bandy-legs sticking out
ahead, they advanced toward the mysterious cabin.

All was silent around, save that a busy woodpecker hammered loudly on
the dead top of a chestnut tree close by, looking for a breakfast of
grubs. In this fashion, then, they reached the front of the shack that
seemed to have been deserted so long that vegetation was trying to
claim, or cover it out of sight.

Max thrust his head in at the partly open door, while the others stood
by, ready to back him up, if any ferocious thing attacked him. But
apparently he saw nothing of the sort beyond, for after that one survey,
Max proceeded to deliberately enter the strange cabin.

The others pushed close on his heels, for they had determined to stick