Then they rested on their oars and held a consultation.

"This is certainly something we didn't bargain for," was Snap's comment. "It knocks all of our plans endways, as the saying goes."

"I hope you're not thinking of going home?" said Giant, quickly.

"Home!" cried Shep. "Don't you dare to mention such a thing. No, I am not going home, boys. But one thing is certain, we can't stay at Lake Cameron."

"Let us try our luck at Firefly Lake," suggested Whopper. "That isn't as large as this lake, but it is certainly a nice sheet of water. And the hunting around there ought to be just as good as around here."

The others said they were willing, and a little later they made their way out of Lake Cameron and sent the rowboat along the rocky watercourse in the direction of Firefly Lake. It was now past noon, yet n.o.body was in the humor for eating.

"The more I think of Andrew Felps the madder I get," said Shep.

"I don't see how a man can be so mean. It wouldn't have hurt him a bit to have let us stay there."

"I hope he has no luck at hunting," grumbled Giant. "He deserves to go home skunked."

"He will get some game---or his guides will get it for him," said Snap. "I wonder if it is possible that he has bought up Firefly Lake, too."

"My gracious, that's so!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Whopper. "No use of going there if he has. He'll root us out sooner or later."

"Firefly Lake belongs to half a dozen people," said Giant. "Why, come to think of it, one of my uncles had an interest up there."

"Then I reckon we'll be safe."

It was no easy matter to guide the rowboat through the narrow and swiftly flowing river they were now on, and the young hunters had to give all their attention to the task. Once or twice they struck the rocks rather sharp blows, but no damage was done, for which they were thankful.

"One thing is certain," said Snap, when a wider part of the watercourse was gained. "That gasolene launch can never follow us to this lake. It's too large."

"Yes, and the tramp from one lake to the other is not easy," added Shep. "Old Jed Sanborn told me that."

"Won't Jed be angry when he learns that Felps has bought up Lake Cameron," put in Giant. "That was one of his favorite hunting and fishing places."

They had to go so slow through some portions of the stream that it was nightfall by the time Firefly Lake was reached. It was clouding up, and when the sun went down not a star showed itself.

"This looks as if we were going to have rain before morning," was Shep's comment. "Just our luck---to be caught in the open."

"Don't croak," said Snap. "No matter what comes, let us make the best of it."

It was almost impossible in the fast gathering darkness to distinguish one part of the sh.o.r.e from another, and they did not know where to land. Seeing a small cove, they made for it, and pulled the rowboat up among some bushes. Then they gathered some firewood, started a blaze, and set about getting a meal which should be a dinner and supper combined.

"Well, I am hungry now and no mistake," said Whopper. "I think I could eat snakes' eggs on toast or pickled eels' feet."

The camp-fire made things look more cheerful, and a hearty meal did much toward restoring good humor. Yet the boys felt sore over the way Andrew Felps had treated them, and for this they could not be blamed.

"To-morrow we'll have to locate all over again," said Snap. "And if we want to be comfortable, we'll have to put up another cabin.

But we needn't to make it quite so complete as that other one was."

"Let us look around and see if we can't find some sort of a natural shelter," suggested Shep---"some cave, or overhanging rocks, or something like that."

"Where the rocks can come down and bury us alive," said Whopper.

"Wouldn't that be charming!"

"Whopper, you're as soothing as a funeral!" cried Giant. "We ought to make you build the next cabin all alone."

"Well, I could do that if I had time enough," was the dry reply.

Among the trees the boys found a pretty fair shelter, and here made themselves as comfortable as possible. They covered the stores in the boat with the canvas, piled the wood on the camp-fire, and then lay down to rest, leaving Giant to stand guard for the first two hours of the night.

When Giant called Snap to relieve him it was already raining and the wind was rising. The fire had died down and they did not dare to stir it up for fear the wind would carry the sparks into the forest and cause a general conflagration.

"I guess we are in for it," declared Snap, as he peered around in the darkness. "Just listen to the wind rising!"

Giant retired, leaving the leader of the tour on guard. Snap walked around for a bit, but then had to seek the shelter of the trees as the rain came down heavily.

"Hullo! what's this?" came from Whopper, as he sprang up. "Say, I thought somebody was throwing a pail of water over me!" The rain had come through the tree branches directly down upon his upturned face.

In a few minutes more all of the boys arose, as the wind was now sending the rain in all directions. The tree limbs bent low and threatened to break at every instant.

"Phew!" cried Whopper. "There goes my cap!" And he made a dash after the whirling headgear, catching it just as it was sailing for the lake.

A moment later came a gust of wind that almost lifted them from their feet. The trees of the forest were bent lower than ever, and amid the whistling of the tornado came a crack like that of a big pistol.

"Look out for the tree-top!" yelled Shep, and pulled Snap to one side. All jumped into the open and were just in time to escape about ten feet of the top of the tree, which sailed through the air and bit the lake surface with a loud splash. Then down came half a dozen small branches, several with birds' nests on them.

"This is positively the worst storm yet," was Snap's comment, after a perilous half hour had pa.s.sed. "I am wet to the skin."

"Don't say a word," groaned Whopper. "I've got about a barrel of water in my shoes and another barrel down my neck!"

"I am going to see if the stores are safe," came from Shep, and he hurried for the boat, followed by Snap. They found that the canvas had torn from its fastenings and was flapping wildly in the wind. The rain had soaked almost everything.

"This is certainly serious," said Snap, as he did his best, a.s.sisted by the others, to pull the canvas into place once more and fasten it tight. "We don't want our stores ruined."

"We can thank Mr. Andrew Felps for this experience," grumbled Shep. "I suppose he is snug in our cabin and laughing at us."

"He must certainly be in the cabin," said Giant, who had followed the others to the boat.

They could do nothing to make themselves comfortable, and so had to simply grin and bear it, which they did with the best grace possible. They were afraid to remain under the trees for fear of getting struck by some falling branch.

"Wonder how long this is going to last?" came from Whopper, an hour later. "Looks to me as if it was going to keep up a long time."

"There is no telling," answered Snap. "I think---hark!"

All listened and heard a strange humming. Then the wind began to tear through the forest with fearful violence.

"It is surely a tornado!" yelled Shep. "Get down, all of you, or you'll be blown to nowhere!"