up the full complement; of the Silver Fox Patrol; and who have figured
in previous stories of this series.

These boys were named Robert Quail White, who was Southern born, and
went by the name of "Bob White," among his friends; and Edmund Maurice
Travers Smith, conveniently shortened to plain "Smithy."

These two had taken a different route to the lake, and expected to meet
their six churns at a given rendezvous. They were intending also to
make use of another boat, since the one engaged for the party would only
accommodate seven at a pinch, and counting the scout-master they would
have numbered nine individuals in all.

The other two had found that they wanted to see the wonderful Soo Canal,
and the rapids that the St. Mary river boasts at that point, where the
pent-up waters of Superior rush through the St. Mary's river to help
swell the other Great Lakes, and eventually pass through the St.
Lawrence river to the sea.

It is no joke cooking for half a dozen hungry scouts, and the one whose
duty compelled him to be the chef for a day had to count on filling the
capacity of coffee-pot and frying-pans, of which latter there were two.

Evening had settled down upon them by the time they were ready to enjoy
the supper of Boston baked beans, fried onions with the steak that had
been procured at the last town they had passed through; crackers, some
bread that one of them toasted to a beautiful brown color alongside the
fire, and almost scorched his face in the bargain; and the whole flanked
by the coffee which was "like ambrosia," their absent chum Smithy would
have said, until they dashed some of the contents of the evaporated