permission to go a number of miles from home and establish a camp on
the edge of a lake. From this spot they were driven by enemies, and
then settled at another camp, where they had various adventures and
not a little fun, and in the end cleared up a mystery which had
bothered them not a little.

In the present story we have the same boys and almost the same
locality, but the time is now winter, and in the pages which follow
are related the sport the boys had in the snow and on the ice, and
something about a new mystery, which ended in rather a surprising
fashion.

As I have said before, hunting, especially in our eastern states, is
not what it was years ago. Almost all of the big game has disappeared,
and the fellow who can get a deer or a moose without going a good many
weary miles for the game is lucky. Yet in some sections small game is
still fairly plentiful, and a bag full of rabbits or wild ducks is
much better than nothing.

With best wishes to all who love the woods and waters, a gun, a dog,
and a rousing campfire, I remain,

Your sincere friend,

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL.




GUNS AND SNOWSHOES.