disconsolately; "I've just got to come to tying myself to the tent pole
every night Then if he drags me off, down comes the old tent; and I
guess the rest of you'll sit up and take notice at that."

"You might shin out for home, Bandy-legs?" suggested Steve, just to test
the sticking quality of the other.

"But I won't, all the same," flashed Bandy-legs, with a determined shake
of his head. "If the rest of yer c'n stand havin' that sort of business
goin' on, reckon I ought to hold out. But I wish now I'd brought a gun
along. Then mebbe he'd let me alone, or take a feller of his size."

"Come along, boys, let's get things in shipshape again, and see just
what's gone!" called out Max, who believed in looking things squarely in
the face, and then making the best out of a bad bargain.

So the campers started with a vim to put things as they were before the
visit of the unknown forager, who seemed destined to occupy Catamount
Island with them during the balance of their stay.




CHAPTER IX.

WATCHED FROM THE SHORE.


The day passed slowly.