this matter out of my mind. Don't pay any attention to me, if I look
cross once in a while. That'll be when it's got me gripped fast, and I'm
tryin' to guess."

"I've known you to do the same when you had one of those puzzles, trying
to work it," chuckled Jack Stormways. "Fact is, I remember that once you
told me you sat up till two o'clock in the morning over that ring
business."

"But I got her, Jack--remember that; won't you? If I hadn't I'd been
burning the midnight oil yet, I reckon. 'Taint safe to make _me_ a
present of a puzzle, because I'm just dead sure to nearly split my poor
weak brain trying to figger it out. And Jack, I'll never be happy till I
know what was in those boxes; and why did that sly little professor
believe someone wanted to steal his thunder and lightning?"

It took several loads to carry all their traps down to the boats. But
finally, as the groceries had also been delivered, the scouts took count
of their stock, and it was believed they had about everything, save what
the boys might bring in the morning from home.

Paul advised them to go slow with regard to what they carried along, as
they did not expect to be gone six months. If any garments gave out, why,
there would be plenty of soap and water handy; and the fellow who did not
know how to wash a pair of socks, or some handkerchiefs, had better take
a few lessons on how to play laundry woman in an emergency.

"If things keep on multiplying much more," the scout master remarked, as
he looked around at the tremendous amount of stuff which the boys were
now beginning to stow away systematically; "why we won't be able to