On the following morning the young hunters were in the act of embarking in their rowboat, for a tour around the sh.o.r.e of Firefly Lake, when Shep pointed out a small canoe coming swiftly toward them. In the craft sat a man of middle age, with thick hair and a heavy beard.

"Who can it be?" questioned Whopper.

"Perhaps it is one of the Felps crowd---to warn us away," spoke up Giant. "If it is, I'm rather for giving him a piece of our mind."

"It is Jed Sanborn!" cried Shep. "He must be out to do a little hunting or fishing on his own account."

Jed Sanborn was a character well known to the people of the district surrounding the lakes. He was a hunter and trapper and had been all his life. He was a bachelor, with no known relatives, and lived in a little cabin on the mountainside, two miles from Lake Cameron.

The boys had met him a number of times and knew him to be a good shot and a good-humored individual.

"Hullo, Jed, where are you bound?" sang out Snap, as the hunter drew closer in his canoe.

"Thought I'd find you up here, boys," was the answer. "Have a good time last night?"

"No; we had a beastly time," answered Shep.

"Rained hard, didn't it? Where are you bound now?"

"We were going to look around the lake, that's all. We want to find a good camping-out spot."

"Folks down at Fairview said you were going to Lake Cameron."

"So we were, but Mr. Andrew Felps came along and drove us away."

"And after we had built a cabin, too," put in Giant.

"Huh! that's just like him," responded Jed Sanborn, as he b.u.mped alongside of the rowboat with his canoe "He told me I couldn't hunt or fish around that lake either."

CHAPTER XI

IN A NEW CAMP

"When did you come from Lake Cameron?" asked Snap, after a pause.

"Came from there right now."

"Then you saw the Felps crowd at the cabin we built?" queried Whopper.

"So you built that shelter?"

"We did."

"And he drove you off? It was dog mean, that's all I've got to say."

"Did he tell you he had bought that land?" went on Snap.

"Yes. Oh, he's as mean as they make 'em, that feller," added Jed Sanborn. "Hullo! Where under the canopy did you git that big maskalonge?" he cried, catching sight of the fish.

"Giant caught it," answered Whopper. "But he was pulled overboard doing it."

"And they had to help me land him," added the small youth, but rather proudly.

"Well, well! this beats the Dutch! Why, I never caught such a fish but once in my whole life in these parts although I've hooked 'em on the St. Lawrence. It's something to be proud of, lad. You're as good a fisherman as is to be found anywhere."

"When did you leave Fairview?" asked Shep.

"The day after you did. I expected to meet you before, but I had to go over to Sand Rock on business and I was delayed. I went up to Lake Cameron, and I almost had a fight with Andrew Felps. He wanted to take away a mink I had caught in a trap. But I wouldn't give it up." And Jed Sanborn pointed to where the mink lay, in the bottom of his canoe.

"Do you know much about this lake, jed?" asked Snap.

"I think I do---I've spent plenty of time up here, one year an'

another."

"Where can we find the best camping place?"

The hunter scratched his head in thought.

"Well. I know of two pretty good spots. Maybe you had better see 'em both an' then take your pick."

"All right, we'll do that," came from Shep. "Will you show us the spots now?"

"Certainly. I haven't got much else to do," answered Jed Sanborn.

He did not tell the lads that he had been asked to keep an eye on them, fearing the information would not be to their liking. He was not to interfere with any of their movements unless he that they were running into positive danger.

In a few minutes more the rowboat and the canoe were on the way up the western sh.o.r.e of Firefly Lake. It promised to be a perfect day, with just sufficient coolness to make it exhilarating. In the trees that lined the lake sh.o.r.e the birds warbled merrily, evidently glad that winter was not yet upon them.

"I reckon it's going to be a good sporting season," said Jed Sanborn, as they pulled along the lake sh.o.r.e. "If so, you boys will be right in it, as the saying goes."

"Well, we are out for all we can get," answered Snap.

It was not long before they came to a spot that looked rather inviting, but there was one drawback---they would have to go quite a distance for spring water.

"Now I'll show you another spot which may prove better," said the hunter.

They turned one end of Firefly Lake and came up on the other sh.o.r.e.

Suddenly Whopper gave a cry:

"That looks good!"

"So it does," answered Shep. "Jed, is that the spot you had in mind?"

"It is, my lad."

"Is there a spring handy?"