"The man who started this fire."

"Did a man start it?" asked the boy, while several others drew closer to listen.

"So Mr. Neefus says. He caught the fellow at the office desk.

In a corner the fellow had thrown a pile of shavings and saturated it with oil. As he ran away he threw a handful of lighted matches into the shavings and they caught instantly."

"I suppose he did that so that he could get away. He knew the men around here would try to save the property instead of going after him."

"Exactly, Charley. He must have been a cold-blooded villain to do such a thing, for it might have been the means of burning down everything," continued Mr. Dodge.

"What was he doing at the desk, Mr. Dodge?" asked Shep.

"He was evidently looking for money or something of value."

"Did he get anything?"

"Nothing, so far as Mr. Neefus knows. The safe was locked up, I believe."

The strong-box mentioned stood in a corner of the office, and the fire had swept all around it. It was quite hot, but after some more water had been poured over it the master of the mill threw it open.

"The books are all right---the fire wasn't hot enough to touch them," said Tom Neefus. "I don't think---Ha!"

He stopped short, gazing into a small compartment of the safe.

Then his brow contracted.

"What have you discovered?" questioned Mr. Dodge, quickly.

"The money is gone---and also those papers to that tract of land at Spur Road!"

"The money? How much money?"

"Three hundred and fifty dollars."

"But I thought you said you had the safe locked," went on Mr.

Dodge.

"I did have it locked. He must have opened it and then shut it up again before he went at the desk."

The announcement by the master of the mill created something of a sensation, and soon all the men and boys in the vicinity gathered to learn the particulars of the robbery. It was learned that the man who had perpetrated the deed was a tall, slim individual who limped with his left foot when he ran. He had disappeared into the forest bordering the river, and that was the last seen of him. He had red hair and a stubby red moustache.

That very evening a reward of one hundred dollars was offered by the mill company for the capture of the thief, and men and boys for miles around went on the hunt, but without success.

Mr. Dodge and the other men of the concern were very much worried, but could do nothing further. The county authorities appeared to be helpless, although the sheriff and two deputies spent two days in trying to get some trace of the criminal. It was as if the earth had opened and swallowed him up.

The loss of the money was bad enough, but it was learned by Snap that this was not the worst of the affair by any means. For a long time the mill company had had a dispute with another lumber concern over the right to cut timber in a locality known as the Spur Road. The Barnaby Company had certain papers for this right---getting them after much trouble. Now these papers were gone, and the dispute about the Spur Road tract might be again opened.

"I wish I had those papers back," said Mr. Dodge. "If I had them I shouldn't mind the loss of the money so much, although three hundred and fifty dollars is not an amount to be sneezed at."

"Can the thief sell the papers to the Felps Lumber Company, father?"

asked Snap.

"He might do that---if they were mean enough to buy them. But I rather think the Felps folks would be above that---although they are very, very bitter against us. They can't get any more timber to cut around here, and they don't want to move their plant.

The Spur Road tract will keep our mill busy for at least three years."

The excitement of the mill fire and the search after the thief kept the four boys from speaking of the proposed outing for several days. But as soon as the school closed they met at Snap's house to complete their arrangements.

It had been no easy matter for the four to obtain permission to leave home on such an extended trip. Mr. Dodge and Dr. Reed were willing enough, for they had gone out in a similar fashion when boys, and thought it would do their sons good, but with Frank's folks it was different, and Giant's mother shook her head decidedly, and only gave in after a long consultation with the doctor, who had become her physician.

"They will be safe enough, do not fear," said Dr. Reed. "Boys have to become self-reliant, Mrs. Caslette, and the time to start is when they are young." After that the widow said no more, and so it was settled, so far as Giant was concerned. Then the three boys talked the matter over with Whopper's folks, and at last they gave in also, and then the boys danced a regular war-dance in Whopper's back yard, which made even Mrs. Dawson laugh.

"Well, boys will be boys," she said. "But I do hope they don't run into a bear or shoot themselves."

"They are all good shots and know how to handle their guns," answered Mr. Dawson. "They ought to be able to get along. Mr. Dodge told me privately he was going to have old Jed Sanborn keep an eye on them, and Sanborn is one of the most reliable hunters and guides in this district."

As soon as it was settled, the boys began to get their stores ready. It was decided to go down the river as far as Lake Cameron in a rowboat belonging to the Dodges, and from there "tote" their outfit to wherever they decided to camp. If one spot did not suit after stopping there they would move on to some other point.

The outfit was no light one, when it was all gotten together.

For clothing, each youth had an extra set of underwear and some socks. Each carried a pair of shoes and wore boots, and also had a coat that would do for both rain and warmth.

Their stores consisted princ.i.p.ally of flour, beans, bacon, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, condensed milk, and a few vegetables, some fresh and others canned. For cooking purposes they had a "nest"

of pots and pans, of the lightest ware obtainable, and for eating carried tin plates and tin cups, and also knives, forks and spoons.

Each boy wanted to take along his shotgun, and in addition they took a rifle belonging to Mr. Dodge and a pistol loaned to them by Dr. Reed. Each youth also carried a serviceable pocket-knife and a waterproof match-safe.

"I think we've got about all we need now," said Snap, after looking at the collection. "Now all we want is those rubber blankets and the flannel ones, and then we shall be about ready to start."

"Will the rowboat hold the load?" questioned Whopper. "It seems to me there is about two thousand times too much stuff."

"The boat has got to hold it," came from Giant. "But what I am thinking of is, what a job we'll have carrying the load after we leave the boat."

"Well, if it's too heavy we can make two trips instead of one,"

said Shep, and so it was agreed.

CHAPTER III

DOWN THE RIVER

When Snap awoke on Sunday morning, he was very much discouraged, for the sky was overcast, and by church-time it was raining steadily.

"This will make it beastly for a start," he grumbled, while on his way to church in the family carriage.

"Never mind," answered his father. "You can start Tuesday as well as Monday."

"I'd rather start on time," answered the impatient boy. His mind was so taken up by the proposed outing he could scarcely bring himself to listen to the sermon; and what was true of Snap was also largely true of the others.

By nightfall the rain cleared away, and when Snap went to bed the moon was shining brightly. The boy could hardly go to sleep, and when he slumbered, dreamed of being in camp, with wolves and bears and deer on all sides of him. Then he dreamed that it began to hail, louder and louder, and he awoke to hear some pebbles being thrown against the window-pane. He sprang up, rushed to the window and saw Giant standing in the yard, fully ready for a start.