shore for a spell. Who knows but what they might show up again; and I'm
curious to learn just who they can be."

Max quickly vanished inside the tent, and came out with the desired
object in his hand.

"Before you go, Steve, tell us whether they looked like men or boys?" he
asked, handing the field glasses over.

"Well, I couldn't see as good as I wanted," was the hesitating reply;
"but 'peared to me they were men, all right. And they seemed to be
dressed in gray homespun, too, like some of the farmers around here
wear."

"Oh, perhaps after all it may have been a couple of young farmers taking
a day off, hunting woodcock along the river. This is the time of year
for the first brood to be big enough for shooting. The law opens for a
short spell, and then it's on again till fall," Owen remarked, with his
knowledge of such things, gleaned from much reading.

"They didn't seem to have any guns that I saw," observed Steve,
doggedly, as he hurried away.

This gave the others something to talk about until the shades of evening
began to gather around them. Who these two men could be, and just _why_
they seemed to take such an interest in Catamount Island, were questions
that the boys debated from all sides. Even Bandy-legs seemed to be
stirred up, and made all sorts of ridiculous suggestions.

Steve came in finally. It only required one look at his disappointed