THE STRANGE CABIN ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND

[Illustration: "THE VOYAGE WAS RESUMED"]

THE STRANGE CABIN ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND

BY LAWRENCE J. LESLIE

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. --HOW THE DARE WAS GIVEN

II. --BANDY-LEGS IN TROUBLE

III. --ON THE ISLAND WITH THE BAD NAME

IV. --THE SUDDEN AWAKENING

V. --EXPLORING THE ISLAND

VI. --WHAT THE ASHES TOLD MAX

VII. --THE MYSTERY OF THE CABIN

VIII. --AN UNWELCOME DISCOVERY

IX. --WATCHED FROM THE SHORE

X. --THE BUILDER OF THE STRANGE CABIN

XI. --WHAT HAPPENED ON THE SECOND NIGHT

XII. --A BOLD PLAN

XIII. --UNSEEN PERILS THAT HOVERED NEAR

XIV. --HOW THE SCHEME WORKED

XV. --UNEXPECTED ALLIES

XVI. --THE LAST CAMP FIRE ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND

THE STRANGE CABIN ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND. 

CHAPTER I. 

HOW THE DARE WAS GIVEN. 

"And so Herb Benson dared you, Max, you say?"

"That's what he did, Steve. "

"To camp on Catamount Island?"

"And stay there a full week. He said that even if we did have nerveenough to make the _try_, he'd give us just one solitary night to hangout there!"

"Huh! just because Herb and his old club got scared nearly to death awhile ago by some silly noise they thought was a ghost, they reckonevery fellow is built on the same plan, don't they, Max?"

"I guess that's what they do, Steve. "

"So they challenge us to make a camp, and stick it out, do they? Whatdid you tell Herb? Oh, I hope you just took him up on the spot!"

"Well, I said I'd put it up to the rest of the chums, my cousin, OwenHastings, Toby Jucklin, Bandy-legs Griffin, and yourself. "

"Count me in as ready to accept the dare. Why, I'd start this blessedminute if I had my way, Max!"

"I know you would, because you're always so quick to flare up. That'swhy they all call you 'Touch-and-go Steve Dowdy. ' But come along, andlet's get the other fellows. We can go down to the boathouse and talk itover, anyhow. "

"But tell me first, when _can_ we be ready to go, Max--some timeto-morrow?"

"You certainly are the most impatient fellow I ever knew, " replied Max, with a laugh; "yes, if the other boys are willing, I guess we might getoff at noon to-morrow. It wouldn't take long to lay in our supplies; andyou know we've already got tents, cooking things, and all that stuff onhand. "

"Oh, shucks! leave the grub part of the business to me, " remarked Steve, instantly. "What's the use of having a chum whose daddy is the leadinggrocer in Carson if he can't look after the supplies. But I'm justtickled nearly to death at the chance of this little cruise up the BigSunflower. "

"I can guess why, " Max observed, as he kept pace with his nervouscompanion's quick strides. 

"The new canoes!" exclaimed Steve; "it gives us the chance we've beenwanting to find out how they work in real harness. We've only triedlittle spins in them so far, you know, Max. Gee! I hated like everythingto let my motorcycle go; but the folks put their foot down hard, afterthat second accident to our chum, Bandy-legs; and, like the rest of thebunch, I had to send it back to the shop for what it was worth. It waslike going to the scrapheap with it, because I lost so much money. "

"Well, let's hope we can make it up in fun on the water with our boats, "was the sensible way the other put it. "Here's Ordway's drug store, andwe can use his 'phone to get the rest of the crowd along. "

A minute later, and inside the booth they were calling for M-23 West. Itwas not later than eight-twenty in the evening when the two boys metdown in front of the hardware store, where a brilliant light burned allnight long; so that the evening was young when Max caught the well-knownvoice of Toby Jucklin at the other end of the wire. 

Toby stuttered, at times, fearfully. He kept trying to overcome thehabit, and the result was that his affliction came and went in spasms. Sometimes he could talk as well as any one of his four chums; thenagain, especially when excited, he would have a serious lapse, beingcompelled to resort to his old trick of giving a sharp whistle, and thenstopping a couple of seconds to get a grasp on himself, when he was ableto say what he wanted intelligently. 

"That you, Max?" asked Toby, who had lived with an old, crabbed uncleand been treated harshly, despite the fact that his father had leftquite a little fortune for him when of age; until Mr. Hastings took holdof the case, had the court depose Uncle Ambrose, and place the boy incharge of a generous gentleman whose name was Mr. Jackson, with whom henow lived in comfort. 

"Just who it is, Toby, " replied the other. "Say, can't you hike down tothe boathouse and meet us there?"

"Now?" demanded Toby, his voice beginning to show signs of wabbling. 

"As soon as you can get there, " was what Max answered. 

"Hey! what's on the carpet now, tell me, Max?" demanded Toby, quickly. 

"Keep cool, " warned the boy in the booth. "Steve is here with me in thedrug store. We've got a scheme for a little outing in our canoes, andwant to put it up to the rest of the bunch. How about coming down, Toby?"

"S-s-sure I'll b-b-be there!" exclaimed the other. 

"Then make a start soon, " and with that Max rang off, because he knewToby would hold him indefinitely if once he got started asking questionsand stuttering at the same time. 

He soon had another boy on the wire, this time Bandy-legs. And theresponse was as rapid and favorable in this quarter as it had been withToby. From the tone of the inquiries Max made, the boys understood theremust be something out of the common on tap, and their curiosity wastherefore excited. They would have been at the place of meeting, eventhough they found it necessary to crawl out of bedroom windows and slidedown the post of the front porch; which in neither case was required, for both Toby and the other chum had plenty of freedom. 

When Owen, who, being an orphan, lived at his cousin's house, had beenbrought to the 'phone and asked to join the rest for a seriousconsultation, Max "shut up shop, " as he called it. 

"Let's get a move on ourselves now, Steve, " he remarked, as they leftthe booth, "and hustle around to the little boathouse my splendid dadbought for us when we got the canoes. It isn't a beauty, but it answersour purpose fine. "

"Just what it does, " replied Steve, as they walked out of the store. "Ireckon all the boys are on their way by now, eh, Max?"

"I'd like to see anything hold them back after the way I stirred thingsup. Why, just as like as not even poor old Bandy-legs is tumbling allover himself, sprinting down to the river through the dark. "

"He does have the greatest time trying to keep his legs from trippinghim up, " remarked Steve; "but all the same there never was a better chumgoing than Bandy-legs Griffin. In a pinch he'd stand by you to thelimit, no matter what happened. But hurry, Max; as we did the calling, it's up to us to get there ahead of the rest, and have the lamps lit. Wow! I barked my shin then to beat the band. Hang the dark, say I!"

"A little slower, Steve, " cautioned the other, catching hold of hischum's coat sleeve. "Rome wasn't built in a day, you know. We'll getthere just as soon, and with our skin whole, if only you don't rushthings so hard. "

"I can see the boathouse ahead there, I think, " suggested Steve, presently. 

"That's right; and we're the first after all, you see, because everyfellow has a key, and if any one got in ahead of us we'd notice a lightin the window. Hello! who's that?"

"Think you saw something, did you, Max?" asked the other; "but as therewasn't any answer, I guess you must have been off your base that time. "

"Perhaps I was, " replied the other; "but here we are at the door now, and as I've got my key handy, I'll open up. "

The boathouse had once been some sort of low, squatty building, which, being made over, answered the new purpose very well. And when Max hadstarted a couple of lamps to burning the prospect was cheery enough. Several canoes were ranged in racks along one side. Three of these weresingle canoes; the other a larger boat, which two of the boys paddled, and they called it the war canoe. 

Hardly had they reached this point than there was heard the sound of avoice at the door. Steve opened it to admit a panting boy, whose shortlower extremities had a positive inclination to pattern a little afterthe type of bows, which gave Bandy-legs the name by which he was knownfar and wide. 

Then came Owen Hastings, a quiet sort of a fellow, looking very like hiscousin Max; and a minute later Toby Jucklin appeared. 

"Now open up, and explain what all this fuss and feathers means?"demanded Owen, as the five gathered around the table upon which thelarger lamp stood. 

The boys expected to fit this building up as a sort of club room lateron, and in this place during the next winter keep all their magazines, as well as other treasures connected with their association, together. 

So Max explained just how it came that Herb Benson, the leader ofanother group of Carson boys, had challenged them to spend a certainlength of time on Catamount Island, far up the Big Sunflower branch ofthe Evergreen River, which flowed past the town. 

Some time previous to this Max and his four chums, wishing to securefunds in order to carry out certain pet projects for the summervacation, and early fall, had conceived the notion that perhaps themussels, or fresh-water clams, that could be found, particularly alongthe Big Sunflower, might contain a few pearls such as were beingdiscovered in so many streams in Indiana, Arkansas, and other MiddleWestern States. 

They had been fairly successful, and during a search discovered a numberof really valuable pearls. From the proceeds of the sale of a portion oftheir find they had purchased motorcycles, with which they enjoyed a fewruns. Then, as Steve had remarked so forlornly, Bandy-legs being soclumsy with his mount as to have a few accidents, which, however, hadnot been serious, their folks had united in declaring war on thegas-engine business. Consequently they had been compelled to dispose ofthe machines at a sacrifice. And the canoes had been their secondchoice. 

After the other three had heard what the proposal was, they united indeclaring their perfect willingness to take up the dare, if only to showHerb that there was a big difference between his brand of nerve, andthat which the five chums possessed. 

Of the lot possibly Bandy-legs was the only one who did not show greatenthusiasm over the project. Max noticed that he seemed to simply letthe others do the talking, though when a vote was taken upon whether ornot they should accept the challenge, the Griffin boy's hand went upwith the rest. Still, that was certainly a sigh that broke from hislips. 

"What's the matter, Bandy-legs? Don't you feel like making the try?"demanded the impetuous Steve, quick to notice that the other was notbrimming over with the same kind of eagerness that actuated himself. 

"Oh! I'm going along, all right, " declared the shorter chum, doggedly. "Ketch me staying out when the rest of you want to go. But I neverdreamed I'd ever pluck up the nerve to stay a night on that bloomingisland. Why, ever since I c'n remember I've heard the tallest yarnsabout it. Some say it's just a nest of crawlers; and others, that allthe varmints left unshot in the big timber up beyond have a roost onthat strip of land in the middle of the river. "

"Rats!" scoffed Steve, derisively. "That's all talk; hot air, you mightsay. Don't believe there's any truth in it, any more'n that story aboutghosts, and queer noises that Herb and his crowd tell about. Anyhow, Inever let a dare go past me. "

"That's right, Steve, " remarked Owen; "it acts on you just like a redflag does on a bull. But it's decided, is it, fellows, that we goto-morrow noon?"

"We ought to be able to paddle up there in five hours or so, " remarkedMax. 

"Sure, and I'm in fine trim for the job; how about you, Toby?" Owencontinued, for the stuttering boy was to be his mate in the doublecanoe, which could hold the tents, and some of the more cumbrous luggagedevoted to camping comfort. 

"Just aching for exercise, " the other managed to say, promptly enough. 

"Well, I reckon we'll all get what we want, " Max remarked, as theyprepared to quit the boathouse; "for the current is pretty strong inplaces, and the island lies a good many miles off. Everybody be on handearly to-morrow, for we've got a heap of things to do before lunch time. Skip out now; I'm going to douse the glim. "

As the chattering boys walked away in the darkness they were followed bya stealthy figure that seemed desirous of not being seen. And a littlelater, when passing a house where a light gleamed from a window, thisfigure came for just a second in the shaft of light; so that had any oneof the five chums happened to glance behind just then they might haverecognized the evil face of their most vindictive enemy, Ted Shafter, the bully of Carson!

CHAPTER II. 

BANDY-LEGS IN TROUBLE. 

At noon on the following day there was more or less excitement aroundthe spot where the boathouse stood. The canoes, already loaded, laymoored near by, awaiting the word to be given that would send the littleexpedition on its way up-stream. 

Of course the news had got abroad, though Max would much rather havekept it a secret, if they could. But Herb and his friends, as well assome other boys of the river town, were on hand to see the start. 

And as was natural, a heap of good-natured chaffing was indulged in. Allsorts of dismal predictions were made by Herb, and those of his comradeswho had been in his company at the time of their wild midnight flightfrom Catamount Island. 

"We'll expect to see you to-morrow, all right, fellows!" cried one. 

"Yes, and we're going to keep tabs on you, if you don't show up, "remarked still another. "It won't be fair to sleep on the mainland, andjust go over in the day. You've got to stay right there a whole week, night after night, to win out. See?"

"A week, " answered Steve, laughing in a scoffing manner; "why, if itwasn't a waste of good time, we'd have made it a month. But we've gotother fish to fry, and don't want to spend all our vacation on thatmeasly old island. "

"Yes, say what you like, " called Herb, as the canoes began to leave theshore, and the paddles to flash in the noonday sun's bright rays;"you'll have another story to tell when you show up to-morrow, or I missmy guess. "

"Wait till you see that old cabin, that's what!" called out another, ina mysterious way that somehow caused Bandy-legs to look uneasy, Maxthought. 

He knew that if there was going to be a weak link in the chain it wouldlie in that quarter; for the short chum had a few silly notionsconcerning certain things, and was not wholly free from a belief insupernatural happenings. But with the backing of four sturdy chums, Bandy-legs ought to brace up, and show himself a true boy of nerve. 

"Look at that Shack Beggs making faces after us!" remarked Steve, who, as usual, threatened to take the lead in the push up the Evergreencurrent. 

"I noticed him hangin' around all the time, " added Bandy-legs; "andevery now and then he'd seem to grin, and shake hands with himself, likehe felt nearly too good to keep the thing quiet. Whatever ails him, d'yethink, Max?"

"Well, as I never stood for a mind reader, I can't tell you, " was thereply of the one addressed; "but as we know he belongs to that TedShafter crowd, it's easy to understand that he just believes somethingterrible is going to happen to us up on Catamount Island. "

"Oh! I hope he's barking up the wrong tree, then!" exclaimed Bandy-legs. 

"Just what he's doing, take my word for it, " Owen put in, from the sternof the big war canoe, which he and Toby were urging against the flowingcurrent with lusty strokes, and evident keen enjoyment. 

"How does it go?" asked Max, who was in a sixteen-foot canvas canoe likethe one Steve handled so dexterously; while Bandy-legs, fearing to trustto anything so frail, had insisted on getting one of the older typelapstreak cedar boats, that were so marvelously beautiful in his eyes. 

"Fine as silk!" announced Steve, from up ahead. 

"Ditto here!" echoed Toby, and Owen added his words of praise. 

"It seems like bully good fun!" declared Bandy-legs, who was puffing alittle, his boat being somewhat more weighty than the other two singlecanoes, and who consequently was somewhat behind the rest; "but I wishyou'd get a rope on Steve there, and hold him in. He ain't fit to be thepace-maker. I just _can't_ keep going like wildfire all the time. "

"That's right, too" remarked Max. "We ought to let up a little in thestart. It never is good policy to do your best in the beginning of arace. And we've really got loads of time to make that island beforenightfall. "

Of course Steve could do as he pleased; but since the others droppedback a little so as to accommodate the less skillful Bandy-legs, he hadto follow suit, or be all alone in the van. Steve grumbled more or lessbecause some fellows never could "get a move on 'em, " as he complained;but outside of making an occasional little spurt, and then resting, hestuck pretty well by his mates during the next hour or two. 

Then something happened, something that they had never once dreamed of, and which was at first utterly beyond the understanding of any of thepaddlers. 

Bandy-legs seemed to find more or less trouble about getting himselfsettled in the best attitude for his work. It was all pretty new forhim, though Max thought the other did very well for a greenhorn. Hewriggled about in his cedar boat like an uneasy worm, changing hisposition often, and each time thinking that he had improved his paddlingpowers, only to find the same old fault. 

All at once he set up a whoop that startled his chums. 

"Hi! looky here, what's happenin' to this old coffin!"

The others saw nothing wrong, save that Bandy-legs himself seemed to beengaged in scrambling about more or less, as though he had suddenlydiscovered a venomous spider crawling out from under the false bottom ofhis delicate craft. 

"What ails you?" called out Max, stopping the use of his handy spruceblade, as he turned his head toward the one who appeared to be introuble. 

"Wow! I tell you she's sinkin'!" continued Bandy-legs, as if aghast. 

"What! your canoe?" cried Owen, as if unable to believe his ears. 

"Sure she is, boys! Water's just bubbling up in her to beat the band! Ifelt it gettin' wet down by my feet, and looked just in time. What'll Ido--jump over and swim for the shore right here?"

"Don't be silly, Bandy-legs!" cried Max. "If something has happened toyour boat, why, head for the shore, and paddle hard. It ain't so faraway but you can reach it easy enough. You must have hit a snag, andpunched a hole in the skin of the canoe. "

"I never hit nothin'!" called back the other, as in his clumsy fashionhe managed to presently change the course of his boat, and start for thenearest bank, with the war canoe and that of Max accompanying him. 

"Hey, what you goin' to do, have a snack?" yelled Steve, who at thatmoment chanced to be a little way ahead of the others. 

"Bandy-legs is sinking, and we've got to see what ails his boat!"answered Max, making a speaking tube or a megaphone of his hands. 

No doubt Steve, impatient to reach their destination, and make campbefore dark, would be saying things not at all complimentary to thesufferer, as he retraced his course, in order to join them. 

Meanwhile, when the canoes reached a pebbly stretch of shore, they werebeached; and then Max set to work to ascertain what could have happenedto the cedar boat to make it start sinking in such a mysterious way. 

First the bundles were taken out, and they all observed that it wasfortunate they had decided at the last minute to let Bandy-legs have oneof the tents instead of the foodstuff he had been given in thebeginning. 

"Give me a hand here, fellows, " remarked Max, "and we'll turn her overto let the water get out faster. I can see right now where the troublelies, and it's right down in the bottom. There's a leak as sure asanything!"

"Then its good-by to my bally little canoe right in the start, Ireckon, " complained the owner, sadly. "I'm a Jonah, all right. All sortsof things keep happening to _me_. What does it look like, Max?" as theboat was finally turned completely over, so that the bottom was fullyexposed. 

Max uttered an exclamation that told of astonishment. 

"Well, that is queer!" they heard him mutter, as he thrust a fingerthrough the hole in the garboard streak of the boat. 

"What strikes you as so funny, Max?" asked Steve, who had by now joinedthem. 

"Look for yourself, " replied the other, moving back. 

Four heads were instantly bent over, as the boys took his advice. 

"Must have been a round snag, all right, " commented Steve; "becausethat's as pretty a circular hole as I ever saw. "

"Tell you I never struck no snag!" declared the indignant Bandy-legs;"guess I'd 'a' felt it, wouldn't I, Max?"

"Listen, fellows, " said the one appealed to, in a tone that caused theothers to stop their wrangling, and pay attention; "as Bandy-legs says, he didn't run foul of any snag on the river since we left home. Thathole was made by an auger, or a bit held in a brace. Some mean fellowhad the nerve to lay this trap for our chum, in order to give us all thetrouble he could. "

"Shack Beggs!" shouted Steve, always quick to make up his mind. 

"That was why he kept grinning like he did, when he watched us go off, "observed Owen, in a disgusted way. "When do you suppose he could havefound a chance to do such a dirty trick, Max?"

"Well, we don't know for a certainty whether it was Shack or one of hiscrowd, " replied the other, shaking his head; "but whoever did it musthave found some way to get into the boathouse after we left last night. You remember, boys, we've got a ratchet brace there, and several bits. One of them would just about fit this hole. But he must have been mightycareful to take away every little splinter, so as not to make us suspectthere'd been any funny carryings-on. "

"How d'ye suppose he fixed it, so as to keep the water out till justnow?" asked the bewildered owner of the canoe. 

For answer Max made a crawl underneath, and almost immediately came outagain holding something in his hand, which he showed them. It wasapparently a plug of wood, and must have come from the hole that hadcaused the sudden flooding of the cedar canoe. 

"There, you can see what a neat little game he played!" Max exclaimed. After he bored that round hole he made this plug and drove it in fromabove. Underneath he made sure that it was evened off so it wouldn't beseen unless any one examined the bottom of the canoe close. Then he hadit fixed so when Bandy-legs got to moving about, as he always does, youknow, any time he was liable to loosen the plug and the pressure of thewater'd do the rest. 

"Oh! what a wicked shame!" cried the owner of the wrecked canoe. 

"H-h-he ought t' b-b-be hung f-f-for it!" exclaimed Toby, just asindignant as though it had been his own boat that was injured sowantonly. 

"What can we do, Max, to fix her up?" asked Owen, quietly. 

"Oh!" put the plug in again, and make sure that it will hold this time. Later on, when we get back, we'll have to get the boat builder in Carsonto put a new streak of cedar planking in, to take the place of thisone. "

"Sure you can fix it so there won't be any chance of my going down?"asked the anxious owner. 

"Easy enough. Just give me ten or fifteen minutes, and I'll answer forit, " came the confident response, as Max immediately set to work. 

"While this is going on the rest of us can rest, " remarked Owen, dropping down on the ground. 

"Here's the sandwiches I made this morning; might as well take a bite, now we've got to hang out here a spell, " and Bandy-legs began passingthem around. 

"Looks to me like we had reached the junction of the Big Sunflower andthe Elder, " observed Steve, as he munched away contentedly at his hamsandwich. 

"Just what we have, " Max spoke up, working away at his little job, andstopping occasionally to snatch a bite. "It lies right around that bendyonder. I remember it well, and how we made our first haul of themussels there. "

"Yes, and found a bully old pearl in the first lot, " declared Steve, watching Bandy-legs poke around in the grass nearby; for the boy withthe short legs was of an investigating turn, and liked nothing betterthan to search for things; "hey! what you think you'll find there, diamonds this time?"

"Oh! I just run across a lot of wriggling little snakes, about as longas lead pencils, and I'm seein' 'em twist and turn. It's just fun towatch the little beggars get mad. "

"Huh!" grunted Steve, as he turned his attention to what Max was doing;"some fellers get fun out of mighty little things, sometimes. "

A minute or so later they heard Bandy-legs laugh again. 

"Say, let up with that silly play, and come in, " called Steve, testily;"we're 'bout ready to load up again and go on. "

"You'd die laughing to see her try to get a whack at me, " called backBandy-legs. "It's the mother of all them little snakes, I reckon. My!but she's mad though; just coils up here, and jumps out at me every timeI touch her with my stick!"

Max felt a shudder pass through his person as he looked at Owen. Forsuddenly he seemed to realize that the rattling sound, which he had ofcourse thought was caused by a noisy locust on a nearby tree, was infact the deadly warning that an enraged rattlesnake gives when strivingto strike its fangs into an enemy!

CHAPTER III. 

ON THE ISLAND WITH THE BAD NAME. 

"Keep back, Bandy-legs; that's a rattlesnake!" shouted Max, and some ofthe others turned white with sudden alarm, as they also noted for thefirst time the incident buzzing sound from a point nearby. 

Immediately every one started toward the spot where the foolishBandy-legs was standing, holding a rather short stick in his hand, withwhich he had doubtless been tormenting the larger snake just as he hadpreviously annoyed her young brood. 

He was now seemingly turned into stone, although fortunately enough hehad managed to spring back a pace upon hearing the dreadful wordsshouted by his chum. 

"Get clubs, and make them as long as you can!" called out Owen. "Becareful how you let her have a chance to reach you when she springs out. A rattlesnake can sometimes strike as far as her own length, they say. "

Immediately a scene of great excitement followed. Each fellow ranaround, trying to find a suitable stick, that would be stout enough todo execution, and at the same time have sufficient length. For now thatthey knew what its species was, the coiled serpent looked terribly ugly, as, with head drawn back, she waited for another attack, all the whilesounding her rattle like a challenge to battle. 

Steve happened to be the first to find a stick that he thought would dothe business, and he immediately rushed forward. 

"Slow, now, Steve!" warned Max, fearful lest the natural headstrongnature of the other might get him into trouble. 

Just then Owen also picked up a long pole, and advanced from theopposite side. The badgered snake, only intent on defending her young, thinking that here was a chance to get away from all this turmoil, hadslipped out of coil, and even started to glide off; but as Steve made awild swoop with his pole, she again flung herself into coil, ready tofight to the end. 

Nobody spares a rattlesnake, however much they might wish to let aninnocent coachwhip or a common gartersnake get away. From away back tothe Garden of Eden times the heel of man has been raised againstvenomous serpents. And somehow the close call their chum had just hadfrom a terrible danger, seemed to arouse the hostility of the chumsagainst this snake in particular. 

When both Max and Toby came up, each, with a part of a hickory limb intheir hands, the destiny of that snake was written plainly, strive asshe might to escape, or reach one of her human tormentors. 

Whack! came Steve's pole down across the reptile's back, and from thatinstant the fight was taken out of the scaly thing. 

"Wow! this is what I call rushing the mourners!" gasped Bandy-legs, after they had made sure that the rattler was as dead as might beexpected before sundown; for Owen declared that he had some sort ofbelief in the old saying that "cut up a snake as you will, its tail willwriggle until sunset. "

"I should say yes, " added Steve; "and you're bent on bein' in the centerof every old thing that happens. First you shout out your boat'ssinking, and while we're fixing her you wander out and stir up ahornets' nest about your ears. "

"Say, it did sound like it, sure as anything, " admitted the repentantBandy-legs. "I'm sorry I gave you all so much trouble, boys; next time Irun across a litter of little snakes, it's me to the woods. Wonder whatbecame of the beggars? They disappeared about the time the mother cametootin' up. "

"Mebbe they ran down her throat, " suggested Owen; "some say snakes canhide their young that way, but I never believed it. "

"Well, " remarked Max, who was examining the dead reptile, "this onedidn't, so I reckon they must have skedaddled off in the bushes. Perhapsthey're old enough to take care of themselves, though I hope they don'tlive to grow up. If there's one thing I detest on earth it's a poisonoussnake. "

"Me, too!" piped up Bandy-legs; "but then, you see, I never thought thisone was loaded. Yes, I just reckoned she'd come to see what I was doin'with her bunch of youngsters, and I kept on jollyin' her. Thought I washavin' fun, boys, but never again, you hear me!"

"Want to take these rattles along, Bandy-legs?" asked Owen, who hadsevered the horny looking appendage at the end of the tail; "it'll serveto remind you of what a silly job it is to play with a snake that you'venever been properly introduced to. "

"Not for me, " replied the other, with a little shudder. "I'd just hateto have my folks know how foolish I was. Keep 'em, and hang the thing upin the clubhouse, boys. "

"Sure, " interrupted Steve; "do for a dinner horn some time; better thanJapanese wind bells to make music. "

"Ugh! I'll never hear it without thinkin' of the grand scare I got whenMax here shouted out the way he did, " admitted the one who had been thecause for all this commotion. 

"The canoe's ready for business at the old stand, " announced Max, "anddon't be afraid that there's going to be any trouble again with thatsame leak. I've fixed that plug in good and strong, Bandy-legs. Nowlet's be off!"

Accordingly the voyage was resumed. And just as some of the boys hadsaid, they speedily turned from the main river into the branch calledthe Big Sunflower, which, as the scene of their late successful searchfor pearls, was invested with memories of a rather pleasant characterfor the five chums. 

As they paddled along against the rather brisk current, first one, andthen another had something to call out regarding this place or that. 

"It's just great to be coming up here again, after buying these boatswith some of the hard cash we earned that time, " declared Steve, who waskeeping closer to the others now. 

"How many fellers d'ye reckon started grubbin' up here, after we quit?"demanded Bandy-legs, who was working the paddle fairly well, though attimes he made a bad stroke, and seemed to learn slowly that it could allbe done without the splash and noise he insisted on making. 

"Dozens of 'em, " replied Owen; "but they didn't find much, and it soonpetered out. Why, one boy told me he'd hunted two whole days, and foundjust three mussels, which didn't turn up a single pearl. He said we'dcleaned the whole river out, and sometimes I think that way myself. "

"But that bunch back of Ted were as smart as anything, too, " observedMax. "Think of them finding that there was a whole lot of ginsenggrowing wild in the woods around Carson, and gathering it in on thesly. "

"They sold it for a snug little sum, too, " Owen admitted; "and thenstarted to plague the life out of us. But we came out of the large endof the hole, didn't we, fellows!"

Chatting in this strain they tugged away, and continued to mount higherup toward the headwaters of the sinuous river. But the Big Sunflower wasan odd sort of a tributary; in fact, like the Missouri, it should reallyhave been called the main stream, or as Steve expressed it, the "wholepush. "

"I've been told that it runs right along into the next county, andsometimes spreads itself into a bouncing lake. Why, right whereCatamount Island lies, the river is three times as broad as theEvergreen at Carson. "

It was Max himself who volunteered this bit of information. They hadbeen keeping at this steady paddling for some hours now, and Bandy-legswas not the only one who grunted from time to time, as he looked atblistered hands, and felt of his sore arm muscles. 

"Well, we don't mean to keep on that far, I hope, fellers, " remarkedBandy-legs, pathetically, at which Steve laughed in derision. 

"You'd sure be a dead duck long before we crossed the border, my boy!"he cried. 

"Keep a good lookout ahead, " advised Max, some time later. 

"He means that the island can't be far away, and by the jumpingJehoshaphat, boy, I think I can see something that looks just like anisland around that bend yonder, " and Steve pointed with his extendedpaddle, as he spoke so enthusiastically. 

A cheer broke forth, even if it did sound rather weak, for the paddlerswere a little short of wind right then. It was the island, sure enough;and as they picked up new vim at the prospect of being soon allowed torest their weary muscles and backs, the boys examined the place and itssurroundings with considerable interest. 

They then exchanged looks that meant volumes. Indeed, if CatamountIsland did have a bad name, it seemed to deserve all that. The treeswere very dense, and made the place look gloomy, and as Bandy-legsdeclared, "spooky. " Several had partly fallen during some heavy blow, and rested upon others that had proven better able to stand up againstthe wind. A few were fashioned in weird shapes, too; and to tell thetruth, it looked as if Nature had taken pains to gather together on thatone particular island all the freak things possible. 

"What do you think of it, boys?" asked Max, smiling a little as he notedhow even bold Steve was just a little bit awed by the gruesome aspect ofthe place which they meant to make their stamping ground for a fullweek, unless they wished to bring down upon their heads the scorn andderision of Herb and his crowd, and hear their cries of "I told you so;who's a scare-cat now?"

Then Steve gritted his teeth after his usual fashion, and laughed, though truth to tell, there was not any too much mirth about thatmockery of a laugh. 

"Come on, who cares for expenses! Me to be the first to put a foot onour island, " he called out, as he dropped his paddle into the wateragain, and urged his little buoyant canvas canoe onward with vigoroussweeps. 

"_Our_ island! Listen to him, would you? Oh! like that, now. As for me, you don't hear me claiming a foot of the old place. Ugh! it's enough tomake a fellow shiver just to look at it. And it smells like cats orskunks lived around here. But if the rest of you are bound to go ashore, I suppose I'll have to follow suit. But I'm glad I said good-by toeverybody before I came up here. "

Nobody paid any attention to what Bandy-legs was saying, as just thenthey were making for the lower shore of the island, where a fair landingplace seemed to offer its services. 

The rest were all ashore and looking around, before Bandy-legs managedto jump out of his cranky cedar canoe. He acted as though glad at leastto have arrived safe and sound, if very sore. 

Pretty soon the whole of them were as busy as beavers, putting up thetwo tents on ground which Max had selected as suitable for the camp. Indoing this he had to consider a number of things, such as a view of theriver, nearness to the boats, a chance for drainage in case of a summerstorm that might otherwise flood them out, and soak everything theyowned; and such matters that an old and experienced camper never failsto remember in the start. 

Then came the delightful task of getting the first meal. That is alwaysa pleasure, though it begins to pall upon the party before the weekend. Everybody wanted to have a hand in that first meal, and so Max fixed itthat they could enjoy the privilege to their heart's content. 

And after the night had closed in around them, what joy to sit aroundwith the dancing and crackling fire, while they brought forwardrecollections of other occasions when they partook of camp fare, andlooked forward to a period of keenest enjoyment. 

Even Bandy-legs seemed for the time being to have quite overcome hisfeeling of timidity and uneasiness, so that he laughed with the rest, and appeared as joyous as anybody, sitting there and watching thecurling flames eat deep into the dry wood that had been tossed to them, and feeling so restful after the meal. 

Steve was filled with complete happiness. Somehow or other he seemed tobe more set than any of his chums upon proving to Herb and his comrades, that they had been a lot of chumps who were almost afraid of their ownshadows. He had never been in a gayer mood, Max thought. 

Presently all sorts of sounds arose around them, among which were thecries of night birds like the whip-poor-will; owls started to hoot backsomewhere on the island; giant frogs boomed forth their calls for "morerum, more rum!" and altogether there was soon quite a noisy chorus underfull blast. 

But as all these sounds were familiar to even Bandy-legs, though it wasnot often they heard them in concert, no one remarked that he objectedto them. 

Max was just in the act of declaring that if there was one dish of whichhe was particularly fond it was frogs' legs, and that he meant to starton a hunt for some of those blustering fellows in the morning, when ashriek that was entirely different from anything else, broke upon theirstartled ears. 

In spite of all their boasted self command, Steve, Owen, as well as Max, Toby and Bandy-legs scrambled to their feet, and looked at each otherspeechlessly, while their faces certainly took on a degree of pallorthat was remarkable, considering how red were the flames of the firethat tried to paint their cheeks a rosy hue. 

CHAPTER IV. 

THE SUDDEN AWAKENING. 

"Oh! what do you suppose that was?" demanded Bandy-legs, his voicequivering. 

"It might have been a wild-cat, " suggested Owen, cautiously, as iftrying to recall just what he had read about the cries of these animals, when roaming the woods at night. 

"Mebbe it was an owl!" remarked Toby, actually forgetting to stammer inhis new alarm. 

"Max, whatever do you think?" asked Steve, turning on the boy headdressed; for if any one could know it ought to be Max. 

"Well, to tell the honest truth, fellows, I'm nearly as much in the darkas the rest of you, " admitted Max, looking perplexed. 

"But then you've had experience, and ought to know what sort of racket abobcat makes when he's on the rampage?" insisted Steve, belligerently. 

"On the rampage! My goodness!" echoed Bandy-legs, at the same timemaking sure to move still closer to the blaze; for he suddenlyrecollected that nearly all the really dangerous beasts of the wilds areafraid of fire. 

"It came so suddenly, and lasted so short a time, that I didn't havemuch of a chance to make up my mind, " Max went on; "but if you reallywant me to say what I suspect made it, I will. "

"Go on, " Steve said, encouragingly, "I guess we can stand it all right. "

He had picked up the shotgun which Max had thought best to bring along, though not expecting to use it in shooting any game like rabbits, squirrels, partridges or quail, since summer was the off season for suchthings. And when Steve became excited he looked very warlike indeed. Why, Bandy-legs began to feel more confidence just by looking at theferocious expression Steve assumed. It was good to feel that you had a"fighting chum" nearby, in time of need. 

"Yes, let's have it, Max; we're ready to hear the worst, " Owen went on. 

"It sounded more like a human voice than anything else I can think of!"was what Max immediately said, very calmly indeed. 

"Just what I thought you'd give us!" cried Steve, making a move asthough ready to spring away into the surrounding darkness, gun in hand. 

"Hold on, " added Max, taking a firm hold on the coat of the impulsivechum; "we'd like to know why you try to run off, when I remarked that Ithought it mightn't be an animal at all, but a human being?"

"Why?" repeated the other, struggling a little as if wanting to breakaway, but finally giving up the effort, "because I just know who it is, that's what, and I'd give a heap to lay my hands on him, that's all. "

"B-b-but, Steve, mebbe the r-r-rest of us'd l-l-like to know, too, "stammered Toby, eagerly. 

"Yes, and sure you wouldn't be rushing off like a house afire, to leaveus here without the gun, while you lost yourself in all this tangledundergrowth, " Owen suggested, reproachfully. 

Steve looked a little conscience stricken. 

"That's right, it would be mean of me, fellows, " he admitted, as heglanced at the gun he had snatched up so eagerly. "And likewise silly inthe bargain, because in this pitch darkness I'd like as not only stub mytoe, and take a beastly header into some snake hole. I guess I'll simmerdown, and stay where I'm most needed. "

"But, Steve, " complained Bandy-legs, "you ain't told us yet who youbelieve it was made all that noise? And do you think he did it just togive us a scare?"

"Just what I do, Bandy-legs, " replied the other, stoutly; "because thefeller I had in my mind was Ted Shafter. "

"What's that; Ted Shafter!" echoed Bandy-legs, aghast. 

"Or if not him, then Shack Beggs, or Amiel Toots!" went on Steve, doggedly nodding his stubborn head up and down, as though the idea hadsecured a firm footing in his mind, and would not easily be dislodged. 

Owen turned to his cousin Max. Somehow, in moments of sudden need, itwas noticeable how they all seemed to place great dependence on Max. 

"Could that be so, Max?" he asked. "Would you think that bunch offellows'd take the trouble to come all the way up here just to botherus?"

"Oh! so far as bothering us went, I believe they'd go to even moretrouble than that, " was the reply Max made. "The only question in mymind is, whether they'd have the nerve to come over to this island atnight time, just to try and give us a little turn. "

"Of course they knew all about what we expected to do?" suggested Owen. 

"We can be sure of that, " replied his cousin. "In the first place, ShackBeggs was in that mob that saw us get under way. Then again eitherShack, or some other boy in his crowd, must have managed to get into ourclubhouse last night after we left, and bored that hole through thebottom of the cedar canoe, thinking we wouldn't notice it. "

"Wonder they didn't slash a knife through the canvas boats in thebargain, " commented Touch-and-go Steve, gloomily; "it'd be just liketheir meanness. "

"Well, that would have been so barefaced that of course the whole townwould have been up in arms, and somebody might tell on them, which'dmean that Ted would be sent away to the reform school for a time, " Maxexplained. 

By degrees the boys began to settle down again. Owen was the first todrop back into the comfortable position he had occupied at the time thatweird screech first shocked them, and brought about a sudden rising up. 

Max managed to possess himself of his gun, and then Steve, quietingdown, followed the example of his campmates, by picking out a good placenear the crackling blaze, where he could hug his knees, and staregloomily into the fire. 

For some little time the boys exhibited a degree of nervous tension. Itwas as though they half expected that awful cry to be repeated, or someother event come to pass. But as the minutes glided by without anythingunusual happening, by slow degrees their confidence returned, andfinally they were chatting at as lively a rate as before the alarm. 

All sorts of speculations were indulged in concerning the possiblecharacter of the origin of the sound. Bandy-legs in particular wasforever springing questions on Max as to what he thought it could havebeen, if not one of that Shafter crowd. 

"Do they have real panthers around here, Max?" he asked suddenly. 

"Well, I don't think there's been one seen for a good many years, "replied the other, accommodatingly. "Time was, of course, when they needto roam all about this region; yes, and wolves and buffalo as well; butthose were in the old days when it was called the frontier. "

"Buffalo!" echoed Bandy-legs, in amazement; "why, Max, I always thoughtbuffalo were only found away out West on the plains, where they used tobe seen in great big droves, before Buffalo Bill cleaned them out, supplying meat for the workers building the first railroad across thecontinent. "

"Well, that's where you were away off, " answered the other, "because inall the accounts in history about Daniel Boone and the early settlersalong the Ohio and in Kentucky you can read of them hunting buffalo. Seems they went in pairs or small droves at that time. Why, they used toget them for meat in the mountains of Pennsylvania when on the wayacross to the valleys on the other side. And at that time there weremore panthers around here than you could shake a stick at. "

"You'd never ketch me doing that same thing, if it was a panther, "admitted Bandy-legs, frankly. "I'm afraid of cats of all kinds the worstever. Why, I always said I'd rather face six lions than one tiger, anyday. "

"Sure, who wouldn't?" remarked Steve, dryly. "They'd make way with afeller all the sooner, and end the agony. But Max says he don't believeit could have been a panther, so make your mind easy, Bandy-legs. "

They managed to talk of other things in between, but the boy with theshort legs would every little while think up some new question inconnection with that shriek, which he would fire at Max, and demand ananswer. When Steve tried to make fun of him for harping on that oldstring so long, the other immediately took up arms in his own defense. 

"Huh! it's easy enough for you to act like that, Steve, " he remarkedonce, when the other gave him a jeering laugh; "because if we had tomake a bolt for it, you've got running legs, and could put out at awhoopin' lick; but how about poor me? Wouldn't I get left behind, andthat'd mean make a meal for the big woods cat? Guess I've got more atstake than any of the rest. "

But taking it all in all, that first evening spent around the camp fireon Catamount Island was rather enjoyable. Old recollections of otherdays came cropping up from time to time, and were mentioned, to becommented on. And never before had a blazing fire seemed more delightfulthan just then. It is always so with those who go out into thewilderness to get close to Nature; the new experience has charms that noother could quite possess. 

After a time, however, some of the boys began to yawn at a great rate, as though getting sleepy. None of them had slept any too well on thepreceding night, simply because of the excitement they were laboringover, with a week of outing before them. 

"Move we get ready to turn in!" suggested Max, finally, when he began tofear lest Bandy-legs in particular would dislocate his jaws, and bringdown a new catastrophe on their heads. 

"When we drew lots for tents, it turned out that Steve, Bandy-legs andmyself were to bunk in this big tent, while Max and Toby, taking a lotof the stuff along, had to sleep in the other, wasn't that it?" remarkedOwen, as he got on his feet, and stretched himself, as though a littlecramped from sitting so long in one position. 

"J-j-just w-w-what it was, " Toby replied. 

"That makes three of us in our tent, don't it?" said Bandy-legs, as ifrelieved to know that he would have a companion on either side, for atsuch times there is safety in numbers. 

"Yes, and if that panther does come, he'll have some trouble picking youout in the crowd, " jeered Steve. 

"That's mean, Steve, " declared Max, who saw that Bandy-legs was reallyconcerned, and also remembered that in times gone by the other hadspoken more than once of the strange fear he from childhood hadentertained for cats of all kinds, while accustomed to playing withevery species of dog known to lads. 

"Oh! I take it back, " quickly responded Steve, who could say sharpthings, and then be sorry the minute afterwards. 

Of course, having had considerable experience by now, all the boys knewjust how to go to work in order to make themselves comfortable, withonly a thick camping blanket to serve as a bed. 

Max had long ago showed the greenhorns how to fold this, so that whileone part lay between their bodies and the ground, they would haveseveral thicknesses over them, to be pulled up as the night grew cooler. Besides, each boy had a rubber poncho in which the blanket could bewrapped during the day, to keep it from getting wet while in the canoes. This was always first of all laid down on the ground, so as to keep thedampness from giving them rheumatism, for even boys may be taken withthis ailment, if careless in times when the ground is far from dry. 

Everybody else being disposed of, and ready to go to sleep, Max fixedtheir fire after the manner of a woodsman, so that it would burn forhours, yet never threaten to get away into the woods, should a heavywind arise. 

"All ready, boys?" he asked, feeling his own eyes getting heavy. 

A couple of sleepy replies came from the tent where the three chums lay;evidently Toby and Bandy-legs were already far gone in the Land of Nod. 

So Max crawled into his snug retreat, and settled himself down tosecuring some of the refreshing slumber he so much needed. 

He had left a flap of the tent up, so that as he lay there he could seeout, but as the fire did not come within the range of his vision, he wasnot annoyed by its flickering. Now and then the flames would spring up, and the vicinity be brightly illuminated; then they would gradually diedown again, and things become more indistinct. 

Max remained there awake, for some little time; because, as oftenhappens, his sleepiness seemed to desert him after he lay down. Manypleasant things flitted through his mind, for the most part connectedwith past events in which he had figured, and in quite a number of themhaving been enjoyed in the company of these four good chums of camp fireand trail. 

Then Max went to sleep. He had wondered whether they would be left topass the night in peace, or be suddenly aroused by some clamor, such ashad possibly given Herb and his crowd their scare. Hence, being on thewatch for some such alarm, Max was not altogether astonished when hefound himself suddenly aroused by a whoop, and heard Bandy-legs shoutingout at the top of his voice:

"Help! help! something grabbed me by the leg, and was pulling me out ofthe tent. I'd have been a goner only I grabbed Steve here, and held on. Get a light, fellers. Where are you all! Hurry up, or it'll come backagain after me!"

CHAPTER V. 

EXPLORING THE ISLAND. 

There was little time wasted in getting outside the two tents; almostbefore the last of the excited Bandy-legs' complaint had sounded, fiveshivering boys made their appearance alongside the fire, clad only intheir pajamas. 

Max had his gun in his hands. He may have carried it out more as aprecaution, or to keep the impulsive Steve from dodging in after it, than from any great expectation of finding a use for the weapon. Andthen again, its appearance would go far toward reassuring poorBandy-legs that the fear of the unknown beast returning to drag him awaywas reduced to a minimum. 

Steve immediately made a pounce for the fire. Max thought he meant toknock it together, and perhaps induce it to flare up, so as to give themmore light; but it seemed that the other was only after a smoldering bitof wood, which he swung around his head until it burst into a flame. 

"Now, let it try and attack us, that's all!" cried Steve, as thoughquite ready to use his novel weapon after the manner of a baseball club, should a vicious bobcat emerge from the dark circle around them, andattempt any "funny business, " as Steve called it. 

It was thoughtful Owen who stooped down, and threw a little inflammablefuel on the remains of the camp fire, so that when it blazed up, whichimmediately happened, there was no longer darkness near the spot, asthey could see far into the jungle that lay on the side away from thewater. 

"Now, what happened?" asked Max, turning on Bandy-legs for anexplanation. 

"Why, here's the way it was, fellers, " replied that worthy, bent onsquaring himself with his chums; "I was dreamin' of bein' home, when theold tomcat got a sudden notion that I'd been and stepped on his tail. Gee; he turned on me like a flash, and grabbed me by the leg. Seemedlike he was changed into a big striped tiger, then and there, for hestarted to drag me away, like he meant to eat me up. I got hold of theleg of the table, and held on like all get-out. That's when I waked up, and found that I was bein' yanked out of my blanket by some critter thatdid have hold of my left ankle. And it was Steve and not the table legI'd been hangin' on to like grim death. "

"I should say you had, " muttered the one mentioned, who was now rubbinghis arm where Bandy-legs had pinched it, "and if you left a piece ofskin as big as a fifty-cent piece below my elbow, I'll be glad, believeme. Bet you I'll be black and blue for a week of Sundays. You sure didgive me the worst scare I ever had, with that whoop right in my ear, andthen grabbin' me like a bear might. "

"And l-l-listen to him, w-w-would you, " remarked Toby, "he s-s-says hewas d-d-dreaming, fellers!"

"After this I vote that we tie Bandy-legs up, head and heels, with therope we brought along, " ventured the aggrieved Steve, pulling up thesleeve of his pajamas to see what the damage might really be. "If he'sgoing to dream about cats going mad, and bust our nice sleep all toflinders in this way, why give him that small tent to himself. Blessedif I want him for a tentmate again. "

"But, Steve, I tell you it wasn't a dream after all; only I justhappened to get things mixed, you see. Somethin' did grab me by the leg, and try to pull me out of the tent! If I'd been scared so I couldn'tkick and yell, why chances are you'd be short one camp-mate right now, that's all. "

"Shucks!" grumbled Steve, hard to convince, "talk is cheap; prove it, Bandy-legs!"

"I will, then!"

With that the other dropped down on the ground and started to roll upthe left leg of his loose pajamas. He did so with a certain amount ofconfidence, as though he felt positive that he would be able to displaysuch evidence, that even skeptical Steve might not dispute. 

"Now, how about that?" demanded Bandy legs? triumphantly. 

All of them lowered their heads to look. And a variety of exclamationsattested to the fact that apparently Bandy-legs had carried his point. 

"Scratches, as sure as anything!" commented Owen, seriously. 

"Fresh done, too, ain't they?" demanded the victim, energetically, determined to clinch matters beyond all chance for dispute, while aboutit. 

"That's right, they are, " Max chimed in with. 

"P'r'aps if you looked sharp now, one could see where claws had raked methrough the leg of my pajamas, " suggested Bandy-legs, satisfied to havecleared himself of the charge of having aroused his campmates simplybecause he happened to be visited with a bad dream. 

"Well, I can't just say that's clear, " Max continued, "but it looks likesomething had had hold of you by the ankle, just like you say, Bandy-legs. "

"And just add to that, it was pullin' me along in a big hurry, Max. Say, didn't I tell you that if there was anybody goin' to be eat up by cats, it'd be me?" wailed the victim of the night assault. 

"That's all right, Bandy-legs, " said Steve, in a tone meant to becheering; "you know we've got a good rope along, and if you only chooseto take the trouble to tie yourself to the tent pole every night, nothin' can't run away with you. "

Max had to laugh at the idea; and somehow that seemed to rather makethings look a bit more cheerful. He made Bandy-legs show him just wherehe had been lying, and as it was between the other pair, it certainlyseemed singular why any intruder should have picked the short-legged boyout for attention. 

After Max had gone down on all fours, holding the lantern, which Owenhad lighted, and seemed to be trying to discover the trace of feet, heshook his head. 

"Perhaps there might have been tracks, " he remarked, "but we've movedabout so much since, that they've just been covered up. "

"Tracks of what, the catamount?" asked Bandy-legs, anxiously. 

"Perhaps human tracks!" Max went on. 

"There! I expected something like that!" burst out Steve. "If there wasanything around here that gripped hold of Bandy-legs, and tried to yankhim out of the tent, I'd be willing to wager a heap that it could belaid at the door of them measly critters, Ted Shafter and his gang!"

The others hardly knew what to think. But at any rate the fact that Maxhad ventured to propose such a solution to the strange mystery of thenight assault seemed to give the victim more or less comfort. He couldstand being made an object of attack on the part of prank-loving boys, but the very thought of having been seized by a hungry man-eatingpanther gave him a cold chill. 

"Say, do we crawl back in our nice blankets, and try to get some moresleep?" asked Steve, who was shivering; because the air seemed cold, after being so rudely aroused, and made to leave a warm nest. 

"Couldn't we just stick it out around the fire?" asked Bandy-legs, whodoubtless had conceived a notion that he would feel ever so much saferif awake, and dressed, than lying there helpless, and at the mercy ofevery beast that chose to creep into the camp. 

"I was just going to propose that, boys, " remarked Max; "because, yousee, it's just about peep of day, " and he pointed to the east as hespoke, where, upon looking, the others could see a faint seam of lightclose down near the horizon, which they knew indicated the coming of thesun. 

"Well, I declare, the whole night's gone!" declared the surprised Steve. 

"Oh! ain't I glad!" breathed Bandy-legs, crawling into the tent to getsome of his ordinary garments, such as he was accustomed to wear when onan outing. 

The others followed suit, and it was not long before the camp began toassume a busy appearance, with all of the boys bustling about. 

"One night gone, anyhow, " remarked Max, as he and Owen startedpreparation for breakfast, all of them owning up to being hungry for theham and eggs they had decided to enjoy for the first morning meal incamp. 

Then, as daylight had fully come, Max seemed to conceive a suddennotion. 

"Get one of the others to help you with this, Owen, " he remarked. "I'llbe back in half an hour, or less. "

Although wondering what he had in mind, Owen, being a boy of few wordsas a rule, did not attempt to question his cousin. He saw him go down towhere the canoes lay up on the beach, and launching one of the smallercanvas ones, paddle off. And as he saw Max move along close to the shoreof the island, now beginning to be bathed in the first rays of therising sun, Owen smiled, as though he had guessed the other's mission. 

Later on, just as the call to breakfast was given, Max returned, anddrew the little canoe up on the beach where the others lay. 

"What luck?" asked his cousin, as Max sat down and started to pourhimself a tin cup of coffee, his platter having been already filled withfried ham and eggs that sent up a most tempting odor. 

The others lifted their heads to listen, and even stopped eating, hungryas they were, to learn what it was Max had been investigating. 

"Nothing doing, " replied the returned paddler, with a smile. "I wentcompletely around the island, and examined the shore the best way Icould, for signs of some boat, or to see where one had landed lastnight, but I didn't get a glimpse of anything. If they did come off themainland, they knew how to get ashore without leaving any signs behind, that's all. "

"But, Max, I didn't know that Ted Shafter was such a good woodsman asall that!" objected Owen. 

"No more he isn't, " replied the other, as he lowered his cup, aftertaking one good drink of the hot contents, that tasted better thananything he ever got at home, where they had thick cream, and delicatechina to drink from. "And that's one reason why I'm puzzled to believeit could have been them. "

Bandy-legs looked worried again. 

Once more his hopes were shattered because, if it turned out theintruder had been an animal after all, what about those six other nightshe would have to pass in that tent, with the unfeeling Steve and theheavy-sleeping Owen?

"Well, what are we going to do about it?" demanded the last-named boy. 

"I'll tell you, " replied Max, in a matter-of-fact tone; "we've got thewhole day ahead of us, to prowl around, and see what the blessed oldisland looks like. And perhaps we might find out a few things beforedark comes on again. As I said a while ago, one night's gone. I hope nownone of you want to throw up the sponge, and go back home, to let Herband his crowd crow over us?"

"Not me!" shouted Steve, like a flash. 

"And I'm willing to stick it out!" added Owen, firmly. 

"M-m-me t-t-too!" put in Toby, who was munching some cold biscuits theyhad fetched along, and of which he was especially fond. 

All of them looked at Bandy-legs, and he could not deny the appeal hesaw in the faces of his chums. It made considerable difference, too, nowthat the bright daylight surrounded them; for even a timid boy can feelbrave between sunrise and sunset. 

"I'm willing to hold on, if the rest do, " he declared, "though it'spretty tough if I'm goin' to be the only one that's in danger of bein'chawed up by savage tomcats that roam about here. But, Max, if we gonosing around to-day, I want to keep close to you, and that bully littlegun of yours, understand. Them's my conditions for agreein' to standpat, and stay here on this haunted island. "

"Rats!" scoffed the unbelieving Steve; "haunted, your eye! You mark mywords, it'll all turn out just as common as anything, when we once getthe hang of things. Ain't it always that way, Max? Didn't it look easyto the old fellers over at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, whenColumbus, he stood an egg on end by just breaking it a little?"

"That's what it did, Steve; and I'm glad to see how you take it, "replied Max. 

But when a little later they did start out to look around a little, being more than curious, Bandy-legs was allowed to do as he suggested, and keep close company with Max and the twelve-bore gun. He carried inhis hand a ferocious-looking fish spear, which he had mounted on a poleabout ten feet long. Owen had the hatchet; Toby the long-bladed knifewhich they used to cut bread and ham with; while Steve patted his pocketin a significant way, as though he carried something there, up to now hehad overlooked, but which seemed to give considerable confidence. 

In this manner, then, the five boys sallied out to investigate theirsurroundings, and see what the island with the bad name contained. Ifthey happened to run against some wild-cat, or other savage animal, theywanted to be in shape to put up a good stiff fight. 

Max had to laugh when he saw his chums lined up, armed in this fashion. 

"I just pity the poor thing that tries to give this crowd trouble, " heremarked; "to look at the lot of weapons we carry, you'd think weexpected to have a battle for the possession of Catamount Island insteadof starting out on a peaceful little exploring expedition. "

"All the same, the handling of such things makes a fellow feel better, "declared Bandy-legs. 

"It may you, " burst out Steve, who had been dodging that fish spearright and left for some time, "but if you keep on trying to poke thatblooming four-pronged stabber into my eyes, like you've been doing, itwon't be much fun for the rest of us. Show him how to carry the thing, Max, if he must take it along. "

This being amicably arranged, with Bandy-legs holding the spear part infront of him, so that he might make use of it in an emergency as alance, they started out. Somehow, no one seemed to consider thepossibility of their camp being invaded during their absence. Theeatables had been hung up, so that hungry wild-cats might not run awaywith them should they take a notion to visit the place while the fiveboys were away; but no one thought of one of their own species comingaround. 

It was indeed hard work making their way through the dense growth thatcovered the main part of Catamount Island. Max saw that as the place hadbeen let alone by mankind, Nature had kept on increasing the wild tangleof vines, bushes and saplings that filled the spaces between the largertrees. In some places the branches were so very dense overhead that itseemed gloomy and even "spooky, " as Bandy-legs took pains to inform hiscompanions. 

Birds they saw many times, and often the whirr of wings announced thesudden flight of a partridge. Squirrels abounded, and even a raccoon wassighted, while Max declared that he felt sure he had a glimpse of thered brush of a vanishing fox that had been disturbed in his day nap bytheir approach. 

Still, all these were such things as they had expected to meet with. What pleased Max most of all was the fact that outside of a few harmlesssmall snakes the island seemed to hardly deserve the terribly bad nameit had gained as a breeding spot for venomous reptiles, and whichreputation it was that had always kept local hunters from visiting itsshores in the season. 

The little party was pushing through the thickest part of the jungle, where they had great difficulty in making progress at all, and oftentripped over roots, or found themselves twisted up in vines that hungdown from the trees, when Max, who led the van, turned and made a motionwith his hand that the others new signified he had discovered somethingto which he wished to call their attention. 

And so, filled with eager curiosity, they craned their necks forward inthe endeavor to learn just what it was that had apparently aroused theinterest of Max so abruptly. 

CHAPTER VI. 

WHAT THE ASHES TOLD MAX. 

"Get back, Steve, and let me have room with my fish spear!" whisperedBandy-legs, nervously, just as if he fully expected that they were aboutto be attacked by a legion of fierce wild-cats, and wished to be able toimpale the first that showed up on his lance. 

Steve, fearing for his legs or back, seized hold of the long pole uponwhich the four-pronged and barbed spear was mounted, then he felt safein leaning forward again, to see what it was Max had discovered. 

"Why, it's a cabin!" he exclaimed, as though somewhat disappointed. 

"A cabin!" echoed Bandy-legs; but there was relief rather than chagrinin his voice, and the pole Steve clutched steadied a little. 

"Sure it is, and nothing more!" remarked Owen. 

"B-b-but, f-f-fellows, did yon ever s-s-see _such_ a c-c-cabin?"demanded Toby. 

"Well, it does look kind of queer, " admitted Steve, "but mebbe that'sjust because of the shack being abandoned so long. The weeds and grassand bushes have grown right up to the walls; and looky there, the roofeven seems to be green, like grass had took root there. She is adandy-lookin' roost, sure as you're born, Toby. "

All of them stared at the odd little affair. Cabins they had seen beforenow, by scores, some fairly commodious, others small and limited inaccommodations, bat never one that looked like this shack on CatamountIsland. 

"Anybody around, that you can see, Max?" asked Owen, presently, whenthey had been standing there in that group, watching the green-roofedcabin, and the vegetation-covered walls of the low, squat cabin, forsome time. 

"Well, if there is, I haven't had a squint of 'em, " Steve took occasionto remark, before the one addressed could reply. 

"S-s-somebody g-g-give 'em a hail!" said Toby, sensibly. 

So Max immediately called out:

"Hello there!"

No response followed. Although the five boys watched eagerly to see ifany figure that might correspond with the queer cabin came out of thepartly opened door, nothing happened. 

"Cabin, ahoy!" sang out Steve, in a very loud, gruff voice, that surelymerited some attention, if so be there chanced to be any one at home. 

He met with no better success than had attended the salute of Max. Theboys exchanged glances, and nodded, as if their minds were made up. 

"If the mountain won't come to Mahomet, then he's just got to go to themountain, that's all, " Owen remarked, as he started to push forward. 

Every one began to move at the same time, and in this sort of hollowsquare, with the menacing fish spear gripped by Bandy-legs sticking outahead, they advanced toward the mysterious cabin. 

All was silent around, save that a busy woodpecker hammered loudly onthe dead top of a chestnut tree close by, looking for a breakfast ofgrubs. In this fashion, then, they reached the front of the shack thatseemed to have been deserted so long that vegetation was trying toclaim, or cover it out of sight. 

Max thrust his head in at the partly open door, while the others stoodby, ready to back him up, if any ferocious thing attacked him. Butapparently he saw nothing of the sort beyond, for after that one survey, Max proceeded to deliberately enter the strange cabin. 

The others pushed close on his heels, for they had determined to sticktogether through thick and thin. Even Bandy-legs, spear and all, triedto gain entrance, but in the end he had to let his pole drop to theground, since there was hardly room for that inside, and the four boysas well. 

They looked around them. The interior of the shack was certainly aboutas desolate as anything they had ever set eyes on. Not a sign ofanything in the way of former comforts seemed to remain. Over in onecorner there had at one time been a sort of berth made, where the partywho built the cabin kept his blanket most likely and slept; but just nowit only had some dead leaves in it, such as might go to serve a wildbeast for its nest. 

Something flitted out of the opening that served as a window, and fromthe fleeting glimpse the boys had of this, they believed it must havebeen a red squirrel, that possibly thought to hide its store of nuts inthis lonesome cabin, though as yet the season for this sort of thing wasfar distant, since summer had not progressed very far. 

After all it was Toby, who, as a rule, had little to say, who broke thesilence that hung over the chums as they stared around. 

"Gee!"

Whether it was that the sound of a human voice had stirred them up, orthe fact of Toby saying that one expressive word without stumbling, asusual, something aroused the others, and Steve broke loose. 

"Well, of all the tough-looking places I've ever struck, I think thistakes the cake!" he exclaimed. 

No one ventured to disagree with him on that score, because he expressedjust what was in the mind of every one of the others. 

"Now whoever could have lived here, do you think?" demanded Bandy-legs, who, now that his alarm was of the past, could appear as curious as thenext one. 

Max was using his eyes to look about. He was always quick to discoverthings that would escape the observation of his companions. It hadbecome a settled habit with Max to always be on the alert in cases likethis, so as to pick up valuable information, even from small things. Thesecrets of the trail he dearly loved to examine, so as to read a storythere that was hidden from common eyes. 

And so the first thing he discovered was the fact that some animal, orhuman being, had been eating here not many days back, at least. Therewere a number of small bones lying scattered about, which in time wouldnaturally be carried away by a prowling fox or wild-cat, or perhaps araccoon. 

He picked a couple of these up, while the other boys watched his actionswith interest, expecting that Max would read the signs rightly, andbeing content to leave that task to his ingenuity. 

"A partridge, I should say, though I may be wrong, " he remarked, afterlooking closely at the bone, apparently from the wing of a fairly largebird. 

Then he smelled of it, as though that might give him a clew. 

"It was cooked before being eaten, " he went on, "and that tells thestory, fellows. No wild-cat ever ate that partridge, because so far asknown they never bother with cooking their food. "

"Course not, " added Bandy-legs, seriously, not understanding the humorof the remark Max had made; "how d'ye suppose they'd ever be able tobuild a fire? Tell me that, now, Max. It was hard enough for me to learnhow to do it, and I'm human. "

"Oh! are you?" snapped Steve, always ready to give the other a sly digwhen he saw the chance; "well, now, we're glad to know that, becausesometimes we've wondered if it was so, haven't we, fellows?"

Max did not pay any attention to these side remarks. He was stilllooking about him, as though under the belief that if he hunted closerhe might discover other things that would help explain about the strangecabin and its equally mysterious late occupant. 

"I think you're right about the partridge part of it, Max, " said Owenjust then. 

"What makes you say that?" asked the other. 

"Why, because, while we were on the way here, you remember, I steppedout of the path we were following. That was so I could examine somethingthat had attracted my attention close by, down in the matted bushes. "

"What was that something, Owen?" asked the other. 

"I've never seen one made of twisted vines before, always cords; but Ibelieve it must have been a partridge snare, " replied Owen, confidently. 

"That might be, " Max went on, in a reflective way. "Suppose, now, someman was on this island, and either couldn't get away, or else for somereason didn't want to go over to the mainland. He'd have to live, someway or other, and if he didn't have a gun and ammunition, why, the onlyway he could keep alive would be by getting fish from the river, musselsperhaps, for I've seen quite a few shells on the shore, though theylooked like they'd been opened by muskrats, or by snaring some of thegame birds out of season. "

"That sounds pretty good to me, Max, " admitted Steve, always ready toexpress an opinion, one way or the other. 

"T-t-to m-m-me same way!" Toby followed. 

"A man!" echoed Bandy-legs; and then as a sudden idea struck him, hewent on: "Say, Max, looky here, you don't mean that it was a human beinggrabbed me by the leg last night, and tried to haul me out from under myblanket?"

"I hope not, " replied the other; "for any man who would leave the marksof his nails on your ankle like we saw, must be a pretty savage sort, tomy way of thinking. "

"Wonder when he could have been here last?" remarked Owen, alsobeginning to look around, as though hoping to discover an answer to hisown question. 

Bandy-legs was appearing rather uneasy. He could not forget what atremendous pull he had received at the time he was awakened; and thevery thought that they might even now be in the abiding place of thecreature that had been responsible for his fright gave him new cause forshivering. 

He looked up and around, as though suspecting that the aforesaid humanbeing might be hiding close by, and watching them with ferocious eyes. But there was no loft to the squatty cabin, and hence no place whereanybody of size might lie in concealment. Still, Bandy-legs lookedlongingly down at his fish spear, and wished he had thought to shortenthat pole, so he could always keep it handy in case of a suddennecessity. 

Max even tried to find traces of footprints on the floor; but as theearth was as hard as rock he did not meet with any flattering successthere. 

"Anyhow, he had a fire in here, looks like, when he cooked that bird, "Steve remarked, as he pointed to a little heap of ashes over where thechimney, that was made of hard mud and pieces of stone, stood. 

Max saw that there seemed to be considerable of truth in this discoveryof the quick-witted chum. There were certainly ashes there, a littleheap of them, and these could not have been left behind when the formeroccupant of the cabin deserted his home years ago; for the winds ofwinter, sifting in through the partly open door, would have scatteredthe ashes long since. 

They spoke of more recent occupancy, perhaps within the last month, oreven week. 

"I reckon, now, this is the cabin that boy spoke about, when they calledout after us as we were leaving town?" Max said, half to himself, as hecontinued to look around him. 

"And from the way he talked, you'd sure believe he thought it was theworst kind of a shack he'd ever struck, " Owen went on to remark. 

"I've been thinking that over, " observed Steve, "and come to thisconclusion--that they must have started to spend the night in this samecabin, and perhaps the ashes there are some from their fire. Then duringthe night they got their bad scare, which none of them would ever tellabout, on any account. It must have come from _something_ that they sawin this same cabin; and whatever it was, it sent the whole bunch on therun for their boat. They said they nearly killed themselves as theybumped into trees, fell over vines, straddled stumps; and when they cameback to town they sure looked as if they had been through a fight. "

"And this is that queer old cabin he said we'd run across?" venturedBandy-legs, again turning to cast his eyes about him, this time in moreof an awed manner than before, though the shack had not changed itsappearance one iota meanwhile. 

"But you see, boys, " Max remarked, with a smile, "they started to bunkin here, and we don't mean to bother ourselves trying that, when we'vegot our good tents along. So, after all, I don't see why we shouldn't beable to stick it out the full week, and go back to laugh at Herb. "

As he was speaking Max stepped across the interior of the desertedgreen-roofed cabin. Knowing that some notion had appealed to him, theothers watched to see what he would do. They saw him stoop down besidethe little pile of gray-looking ashes that lay in the fireplace. 

"Watch him!" said Owen, beginning to suspect the truth. 

Max thrust his hand down upon the heap; then he quickly moved it so asto further penetrate the ashes; after which he sprang hastily to hisfeet, exclaiming:

"Of course I don't pretend to say who the party was that devoured thatpartridge, fellows, but he must have had it for his supper _last night_;and there's been fire here up to this morning, _because the ashes arestill warm!_"

CHAPTER VII. 

THE MYSTERY OF THE CABIN. 

Max, in whose ability to understand all such things they felt so muchconfidence, spoke those surprising words, the others showed more or lessastonishment. 

One by one they had to bend down, and put his assertion to the test, bypoking a finger gingerly into the little pile of gray ashes. EvenBandy-legs would not rest satisfied until he had thus copied the exampleof the others. 

"Warm-say, it's _hot_, fellers!" he exclaimed, as he hastily snatchedback his hand, and commenced to blow the ends of his fingers. "Anyhow, Iguess I must 'a' just rooted out a live coal, for it burned like thedickens. "

"Well, we know one thing that we didn't before, " asserted Owen. 

"Two, you'd better say, for they both sting like fun, " grumbledBandy-legs, rubbing his injured fingers vigorously. 

"Yes, " said Steve, "somebody's been in this old cabin, and not so verylong ago, either; for they must have made a little fire about dawn, tofry a part of a partridge by. And if that's been all the poor critterhad for his breakfast, I'd like to wager, now, he must be hungry yet. "

"I'm glad of one thing, " ventured Bandy-legs. 

"That you didn't get three fingers scorched; is that it?" asked Steve. 

"Naw!" answered the other, indignantly, "Tell you what it is, boys; Ididn't believe much of it when they said it was ghosts up here onCatamount Island. Now we know there ain't none around. "

"Well, how do you know it, Bandy-legs?" asked Max. 

"Because ghosts--whoever heard of them wanting a fire, either to cookwith, or else keep warm? Still, that awful howl we heard last night--Ikeep wonderin' what it meant, fellers?"

No one attempted to answer Bandy-legs. They believed they had aboutexhausted that subject while sitting around the camp fire on theprevious evening, before starting to go to their blankets; and did notfeel like reopening the question. 

"Let's get out of this, " suggested Steve, with a shiver. 

"Second the motion, " declared Toby, speaking straight again. 

"Unless Max wants to hang around a little longer, in the hope ofstriking a clew that might tell us something about this queer old place, and the mysterious party that's been sleeping here, " Owen followed with. 

"Oh, I think I'm done looking around in here, " the one mentionedremarked, with a shade of disappointment in his voice; for Max dislikedto give up any object he had set out to attain. 

"We might run across some tracks outside, " suggested Steve. 

"I meant to give that a try, " Max explained; "but somehow I don't feelas if we'd have any great success there; because, when we came in Inoticed that the ground was kind of poor for showing footprints--rocky, and covered with dead leaves that have drifted in here right along. "

But all the same Max spent some little time hovering around, now down onhis knees and closely examining the ground; again looking up at theswaying limbs of the overhanging trees, as though knowing that theycould explain the mystery, if only they might speak. 

"Any use, Max?" called out impatient Steve, presently; for he had beenfretting at the delay for several minutes now. 

"Give it up, " returned the other, turning his back on the strange cabinwith its green roof and lichen-covered walls. 

"Which way now?" asked Steve, evidently pleased that they were going tomake a move of any sort; for inaction galled him always. 

"Back to camp?" queried Bandy-legs, hopefully; because he believed thatwas the one comfortable spot on all that island, and regretted everhaving left it; though they could never have tempted him to remain incamp alone; not on that island with the evil name, at any rate. 

"Well, after starting out, we ought to poke around a little farther thanwe've done this far, I should think, " Max replied; "still, I'm ready todo whatever the majority say; three against two has always been ourrule. How about it, boys?"

"G-g-go on!" exclaimed Toby, promptly. 

"Same here, " from Steve. 

"Count me in, " came from Owen, smilingly; for whatever Max thoughtright, his cousin could usually be depended on to back up. 

"And I move we make it unanimous; because I don't just like being theonly one on the other side, " Bandy-legs ended up with. 

"That settles it, then; so come along, and we'll keep on to the upperend of the island, " Max suggested, leading off, gun in hand. 

"Oh, wait, I've forgotten something!" cried Bandy-legs, running back. 

Steve groaned aloud. 

"I just knew he'd remember that blooming old fish spear again!" hedeclared. "I saw he'd forgotten it, but I didn't say a word; because hekeeps turning the thing around so that a fellow don't dare call his lifehis own. See here, Bandy-legs, let me knock off a few feet from thatlong pole. Then mebbe you c'n handle the spear better. "

"Oh, that's awful kind of you, Steve; I was just thinking of trying todo that myself, when you saved me the trouble, " remarked Bandy-legs, sweetly, as he suffered Steve to take the long pole out of his hands, place it on two stones, and by jumping smartly on it at the weakestpart, manage to sever some four feet of the spear shaft. 

"Now you can handle it better; and for goodness' sake keep it away frommy back, " Steve went on to say; "there's no telling what you might do, if you got excited all of a sudden; and I wouldn't like to be taken fora big carp, or a sucker either. "

So they turned their backs on the queer cabin, and once more plungedinto the tangle of vines and vegetation, making their way slowly onward. At times they could not even see the sun that they knew: was shiningabove the leafy canopy over their heads. But Max seemed to have nodifficulty whatever in keeping along a straight course. 

"Don't see how he does it, " muttered Bandy-legs, as he fumbled with alittle compass he carried all the time nowadays; for having been lostonce upon a time in the woods, he was determined not to take chancesthat way again. 

"Oh, there are plenty of ways for keeping a course you set, even whenthe sun is behind the clouds, " Max told him. "It's a poor hand thatdepends alone on seeing sun or moon to know his way in the forest. I cantell from the bark on these trees which is north; then the green moss onthe trunks tells me the same thing; and even the general way the treeslean points it out; for you'll notice that nine out of ten, if they bendat all, do so toward the southeast; that's because all of our heavywinter storms come from the northwest. "

"All that's mighty interesting, Max, " remarked Steve; "wish I knew asmuch as you do about traveling through the woods, and the things afellow is apt to meet up with there. The more I hear you tell, the moreI make up my mind I'm going to take lessons in woodcraft; but I neverseem to fully catch on. "

"Well, it comes easier with some persons than with others, " remarkedMax, who was too kind to say what he really thought; which was that inhis opinion boys, or men either for that matter, who are hasty andimpetuous by nature, never make clever hands in the woods, where patientlabor at times is the only method of solving some of the puzzling thingsthat confront one. 

"Now we're getting near the upper end of the island, " remarked Owen, awhile later. 

"How do you find that out!" asked Bandy-legs, looking around himhelplessly, as if he really expected to see signposts to the right andleft, informing the traveler of the lay of the land. 

"Why, " answered Owen, "you see, the trees are getting lower, and not sothick, as the soil doesn't seem so rich down near the water. I can seethrough the upper branches here, and we couldn't do that before. Besides, I've been keeping tabs on the distance we came, measured bypaces; and I reckon we just must be near the other end of the island bynow. Max said it was about two hundred and fifty yards from top tobottom. "

"Oh, is that it?" was all Bandy-legs remarked; but he beamed admiringlyon Owen from that moment, as though he might be sharing the halo ofglory that was hovering over the head of Max. 

They did come out on the shore a couple of minutes later. Looking up theriver it was easy to see where the stream became narrow again, afterspreading out into the broad bay where Catamount Island was situated. 

"And to think we've just got to go back that same way, " sighedBandy-legs, dismally. 

"Perhaps not, " remarked Max, who had a frown on his face, as of newconcern. "I was just thinking that we'd better keep right along thebeach here, boys, and get back to camp as soon as we can. I reckon we'vebeen gone more than a full hour now; and that we may have done a foolishthing to come away, and leave things unprotected. "

"Whew, that _was_ silly of us, sure enough!" ejaculated Steve; "and yetit never struck me that way till you mentioned it, Max. Yes, let's loseno more time, but get a move on us. Looks like we might have easywalking all the way, and get there in next to a jiffy. "

"If so be those Shatters and Toots and Beggs are around, haven't we leftthings nice for them, though?" commented Owen. "If we're lucky enough toget off scot free this time, you won't catch us doing just that sort offoolish thing again. "

"They might steal our grub!" gasped Bandy-legs, to whom such a thingwould be in the nature of a terrible calamity, since he did like goodeating above almost anything else. 

"What about our canoes?" said Max, sternly, very much provoked athimself for having made this slip, when the others all seemed to look tohim to provide against any such mistake in judgment. 

They hurried as much as the rough nature of the shore line allowed. PoorBandy-legs was put to it to keep up with his more nimble companions; andcame puffing along in the rear, sometimes tripping over the pole of hisfish spear, but holding on to the same with dogged determination. 

And so, in the course of a little time, they rounded the point thatstood out just above where they had fixed their camp, and thus came insight of the beach upon which they had landed when reaching CatamountIsland the afternoon before. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

AN UNWELCOME DISCOVERY. 

"Bully, they're still there, just like we left them!" shouted Steve; andfrom the manner in which he said this, it was evident that he had sharedin some of the fears which beset his companions. 

In fact, all of the boys experienced a singular relief when theydiscovered that the canoes still lay there on the beach. 

"Seems to be all hunky dory, " Bandy-legs was heard to remark, as he camepuffing along in the rear, determined to keep up with the procession;"if only now them tricky fellers ain't gone and bored more auger holesin my little cedar dinky! You never can tell. 'Pearances are oftendeceitful, remember, we used to write in our copybooks at school? Well, they are, sometimes. I know it, because I never 'spected to have theriver come in on me; and it did, you just bet it did!"

But while Bandy-legs was amusing himself by this manner of talk, no onewas apparently paying the least attention to him. They had hurriedalong, eager to get to the camp, and verify their first impression, tothe effect that all was well. 

So far as they could see, as they drew near, things were just as theyhad left them something like an hour and a half previously. The twotents stood there, with the little burgees flapping idly in the morningbreeze. Possibly a wandering 'coon or a curious fox may have dropped into investigate conditions; but the food had all been placed far abovethe reach of such hungry creatures, so no one need feel the least bit ofalarm. 

It was Max who made the first discovery that set them to quivering againwith a new apprehension. 

"Look at the flap of the tent here!" he exclaimed. "I'm dead sure Ifastened it tight behind me; and I was the last one in there. It'shanging loose, right now!"

"Wow, so's ours!" whooped Steve, furiously. 

The boys plunged into the tents, anxious once more concerning the stateof affairs; and immediately a chorus of indignant outcries told thatthey found things otherwise than satisfactory. 

"Somebody's been rooting around in here!" called out Steve, from thedepths of the second tent. 

"And mauled all our duds, too! Look at the stuff scattered around, wouldyou?" Bandy-legs was heard to howl. 

"Looks like the thief wanted to find something or other, and must havebeen frightened off by hearing us coming, " Owen declared, also a bitangrily. 

As yet there had come no loud outcries from the other tent; but that wasnot because those who had rushed inside found things just to theirsatisfaction. Max was always a fellow of few words; and as for Toby, henever could express himself intelligently when tremendously excited. Hejust stood there, with his lower jaw moving up and down, yet no soundfollowing the action. 

There was good reason for this feeling of dismay on the part of the pairoccupying the smaller tent, where most of the provisions were kept. Forthey had discovered, as soon as they entered, that everything was thrownabout, helter-skelter. Indeed, it looked as though the unknown thiefmust have been gathering together pretty much all their supplies in theshape of foodstuff, with the evident intention of carrying the same off;when, alarmed by their coming, he had grabbed up a strip of breakfastbacon, the last loaf of bread, and possibly a can of baked beans, withwhich he had hastily decamped. 

Max, after the first flush of his indignation had passed away, wasrather amused than otherwise by the affair. The loss had not been sovery great after all, since no damage had been done to the preciouscanoes. And if it came to the worst, one of the campers could easily bedispatched to the home town to buy more provisions, since they hadplenty of money still in the treasury, thanks to those wonderful littlepearls, taken from the waters of this same Big Sunflower River. 

As usual with him, Max began to cast around in order to find some clewto the identity of the thief. Of course the other three had by this timehurried into the smaller tent to ascertain what the extent of thedamages might be. And loud were the wailings of Bandy-legs when he heardthat among the missing things was the splendid strip of bacon, on whichhe had cast many an envious eye, as he contemplated future enjoyment, with slices of the same sizzling in a hot frying pan, and sending offthe odors that made him positively ravenous with hunger. 

"Oh, but wasn't it good we came back just in time!" he exclaimed, as helooked around at the untidy interior of the tent, with a pile ofprovisions lying in the open center, where the eager intruder had thrownthem. "He meant to just clean us out, that's what he did. I bet thatHerb Benson had something to do with this mean old raid. He wanted toscare us off the island, or starve us out!"

If Max thought along these same lines he had not as yet mentioned thefact; but he did look queerly at Bandy-legs when he said this lastsentence, as though the possibility of such a thing appealed to him. 

"Was there only one feller here, or a crowd?" demanded Steve, as he eyedthe pile of canned goods, that ham that was only partly cut, and anumber of packages containing prunes, sugar, flour and such things, manyof them as yet not even opened. 

"Looks like there was half a dozen; or else the feller, if there wasonly one, had an appetite that would beat Bandy-legs here all holler, "declared Steve, who was really more enraged than any of the others. 

All of them looked to Max to decide this question, satisfied that if thetruth could be learned at all, he would unearth it. 

"I think there was only a single thief here, " he presently said. "AndI'll tell you why I hit on that. He certainly carried off a few things, just as much as he could grab up in a big hurry when he heard us. Now, his first intention was to scoop in the whole business; you can see howhe piled the stuff up here, meaning to get it all. And if there had beentwo, three, or more, they'd have made a bigger hole in our grubdepartment than happened. "

"That sounds good to me, Max, " remarked Owen, nodding his headattentively. 

Toby was here heard to make a jumble of sounds, being still too excitedto get his vocal cords in decent working order. He kept pointing at anail that had been driven into the tent pole. 

Now, strange to say, Steve was really the quickest to understand whatthe stammering boy meant, when he became twisted up in this way. 

"He says his sweater is gone, the dark-blue one that his guardian, Mr. Jackson, gave him just a week ago on his birthday. And he left ithanging there on that old nail, " was Steve's explanation of the strangejumble of sounds Toby was giving forth. 

"And that's true every word of it, " put in Max at that moment; "for justas I turned to quit this tent, as we were going off, that same sweaterfell down off the nail. I stopped long enough to hang it up again. So ifit's gone, the thief took a notion he could make good use of it. "

Toby remained silent with indignation for a long time; and in his casethis was not a mere figure of speech either, but a grim reality, for hewas tongue-tied. 

"Let Max hunt around, and see if there are any tracks, " said Owen. 

"That's the ticket!" added Bandy-legs; and both the others nodded theirheads in immediate approval of the scheme. 

Whenever it came down to a showing of woods lore, Max was the one alwaysdesignated to handle the matter. His chums believed him capable ofdiscovering almost anything going, if only a few faint tracks had beenleft behind. 

Nothing loth, Max started in to look; but he knew in the beginning thatthe task would be a difficult one, and the results not at all equal tothe exertion put forth. 

Still he did find several places where a footprint, not at all like anymade by their own shoes, seemed to tell where the intruder had stepped, in making his rapid rounds of the camp. 

"There was only one thief, boys, " he announced, after he had lookedcarefully. 

"Man or boy, do you think, Max?" asked Owen. 

"A man; and I should say a pretty hefty one, too, " replied the other, with conviction in his voice. 

"Why, how c'n you tell that, Max, without ever once gettin' sight of thefeller?" demanded the astonished Bandy-legs. 

"Oh, shucks, how dense some people are!" put in Steve, scornfully. "Why, stands to reason, don't it, that a big man'd wear shoes ever so muchlonger than a little man, or a kid? Well, look at that print Max ispointing to right now! Don't think any Shafter, Toots or Beggs madethat, do you?"

"Gosh!" exclaimed Bandy-legs, staring; "he must 'a' been a giant, sure. I never did see a bigger shoe print, honest now. And, boys, it ain't thenicest thing going to know that monster is right here, marooned on thisisland with us. "

"Now what makes you say that, Bandy-legs?" demanded Steve. "How d'yeknow but what he come across from the mainland?"

"Why, " the other hastened to say, as though proud of having his opinionasked, "he'd have to swim, then, because Max here said there wasn't asign of a boat landin' anywhere along the shore. Fact is, the island isso rough that boats would find it pretty hard to land anywhere, but onthis little beach right at the foot, and made just for such a thing. Andthen again, Steve, don't you forget about that queer old cabin, now. Helives there, sure as you're born!"

"Whew, six more nights!"

That was Toby Jucklin finally getting his breath; and as there was notelling when he would talk steadily, or stammer, none of his campmatesthought it at all strange to hear him say these words calmly and evenly. Toby had been wrestling with those miserable vocal cords of his for solong a time that he now had them under control for a short period atleast. 

"Can we stand it, fellows?" asked Owen, more to find out how the othersfelt than because his faith was becoming wobbly. 

"Sixty, if you said the word!" declared the impulsive Steve, grimly;"why, after accepting that dare, a dozen critters like this one wehaven't ever seen yet couldn't frighten _me_ away from Catamount Island;no siree, bob!"

Max looked admiringly, also affectionately at the speaker. If there wasone trait he liked about Steve, it was his indomitable pluck. The boywas absolutely afraid of nothing that walked, flew, or crawled. He wasas bold as a lion, but very indiscreet. He often reminded Max of a smallterrier attacking a big St. Bernard, and snapping viciously all thewhile. Yes, Steve was a bundle of nerves, and not to be daunted. 

"I honestly believe you would stick it out if it took all summer, Steve, " he remarked, laying a hand on the other's arm. 

"Excuse me, then, " declared Bandy-legs. "This thing wears on my nerveslike everything. I'll soon be skin and bones if it keeps up. Somebodytell me what that big thief wanted with me last night, when he grabbedmy leg, and started to haul me out of the tent? That's what bothers me. He seems to've got a spite against me in particular. I bet you he's gothis wicked eye on me, right at this blessed minute. "

"Oh, p'r'aps he thought it was a ham he grabbed hold of, " remarkedSteve, flippantly, as he pointed to Bandy-legs' rather plump lowerlimbs, of which he was rather vain, in spite of their shortness. 

But for once Bandy-legs did not laugh at a joke that was on himself. Thematter appeared too serious for trifling. How could he ever go to sleeppeacefully when expecting to be aroused suddenly by a terrible tug, andfeel himself being dragged along the ground, just as though seized by astriped tiger of the East Indian jungle?

"I see there's only one way to be on the safe side, " he was mutteringdisconsolately; "I've just got to come to tying myself to the tent poleevery night Then if he drags me off, down comes the old tent; and Iguess the rest of you'll sit up and take notice at that. "

"You might shin out for home, Bandy-legs?" suggested Steve, just to testthe sticking quality of the other. 

"But I won't, all the same, " flashed Bandy-legs, with a determined shakeof his head. "If the rest of yer c'n stand havin' that sort of businessgoin' on, reckon I ought to hold out. But I wish now I'd brought a gunalong. Then mebbe he'd let me alone, or take a feller of his size. "

"Come along, boys, let's get things in shipshape again, and see justwhat's gone!" called out Max, who believed in looking things squarely inthe face, and then making the best out of a bad bargain. 

So the campers started with a vim to put things as they were before thevisit of the unknown forager, who seemed destined to occupy CatamountIsland with them during the balance of their stay. 

CHAPTER IX. 

WATCHED FROM THE SHORE. 

The day passed slowly. 

Somehow no one seemed very anxious to stray very far away from the camp. For one thing it was out of the hunting season; and on this account thepresence of many partridges on the island could not lure Max. They hadstirred up quite a number while making that little hike toward the upperend of the place; and every time a bird was flushed, going off with asudden roar of wings, Bandy-legs had weakened; so that by the time theygot back home again he felt as though he had been through a spell ofsickness. 

And then to have that new sensation sprung upon them, and find that anunknown prowler had paid them a visit in their absence, was, asBandy-legs expressed it, "too, too much. "

But because the boys lounged around camp was no reason why they were notenjoying themselves hugely. Why, even Bandy-legs tried to forget all thedreadful nights ahead of them still, six in a row, and find some sourceof amusement. 

Each fellow seemed, as the afternoon glided along, to just naturallygravitate toward the kind of pleasure that interested him most. 

Max and Owen were examining some small animal tracks every little while, which the latter would find along the edge of the water; and as hisknowledge of such things lay in the form of book learning, while hiscousin had had considerable experience in a practical way, heinvariably, after puzzling his head awhile, softly called to Max, whowillingly joined him. 

Now it was a muskrat that had wandered along the edge of the river, looking no doubt for a fresh shellfish for his supper. Then again, Maxproved beyond a shadow of a doubt that a raccoon had crept up to theedge of the water at a place where an old log thrust out. Here he couldlie flat, and fish with his paw for a stray small bass that happened topass too close to the shore for its safety. 

The third set of tracks, differing materially from both of the others, Max pronounced the trail of a sly mink; which, with the fisher, isperhaps the boldest and most destructive enemy of the brook trout known. 

While these two were amusing themselves in this way, and Owen makingnotes in his little book all the while, Steve was using the rod and lineto some advantage. Perched on the end of another convenient trunk of afallen tree that projected out over the end of the bank, he managed tosecure quite a delightful mess of bass from the passing river--"takingtoll, " Steve called it. 

Toby Jucklin seemed to find his greatest pleasure in taking cat naps. Hecomplained of losing a heap of sleep on the preceding night; and asthere was no telling what the second might bring forth, he believed intaking time by the forelock, as he called it. 

And Bandy-legs, well, he was sitting there for a long time, workingindustriously with a pad of paper and a lead pencil; and seemed to be sowrapped up in whatever he was doing that he did not notice Max silentlyapproach, bend down, and secure one of the sheets of paper he hadalready filled with his crabbed writing. 

Really Max had begun to suspect that their camp-mate must be writing astory, founded on that strange cabin, with its lichen-covered walls, andthe roof that seemed to be sprouting green grass with the moss. 

One glance he took at the brave heading that began the page. The titlewas quite enough for Max. With a broad grin he quietly laid it down, gave the industrious writer one amused look, and walked away again, without Bandy-legs knowing of the visit. 

And no wonder Max felt amused, for what he had seen spread across thatpage, in letters that were heavily underscored, was this wonderfultitle:

"Programme for meals during six more days to be spent on CatamountIsland!"

Bandy-legs was trying to forget all his troubles by laying out the_menu_ for the balance of their week. 

It was about an hour before sundown that Steve came hurriedly into camp. He carried a pretty good mess of fish, which attested to the fact that, impatient as he was in nearly everything else, at the same time heseemed to be a pretty fair waiter when holding a rod and reel in hishand. Perhaps the constant expectation of a bite kept him in decenthumor. 

But now Max saw that he was considerably excited. 

"What ails you, Steve?" asked Owen, who also detected some unusual signsof disgust about the returned fisherman; "did the biggest get away, likeit always does? Well, we'll believe you, never fear; especially if heyanked your hook off, and broke your line in the bargain. How big do youthink he was, Steve?"

"That old gag don't work this time, Owen, " remarked the other, as hedeposited his catch on the ground, to be admired by Bandy-legsimmediately. "I'm. Wanting to kick myself for being silly, that's all"

"Oh, well, I wouldn't bother about that, " Max put in, kindly. "There arefour of us here, and we ought to be able to do the business to suit you. When shall we begin operations, Steve?"

But even then Steve did not lose his look of disappointment. 

"To think that I sat there all that time, " he remarked, "and never onceremembered that bully field glass we've got along. "

At this remark Max realized that the distress of their chum could not bebased on anything connected with his fishing experience. 

"Hello!" he exclaimed; "now you've got us guessing, all right, Steve. You must have seen something or other, I reckon. Out with it, please. "

"Well, I did, " replied the other, quickly. "You see, I was sittingthere, waiting for an old buster of a bass I'd got a glimpse of severaltimes to come up and get hold of my hook, when I happened to look acrossto the shore at just the widest part, where it's far away. And right offI discovered that it had been something moving that caught my eye as itwere. "

"A panther!" gasped Bandy-legs, involuntarily letting his hand creepdown to his left ankle, where those scratches still proved the truth ofhis story that something, the nature of which was unknown, had grabbedhim on the preceding night. 

"Rats!" scoffed Steve, loftily. "Panthers don't prowl around in thedaytime--that is, not very much. It was a human being I saw; and then asecond appeared right at his elbow. They seemed to be mighty muchinterested in this here island, too; for the first one pointed across, and up and down, like he was trying to explain how a swimmer might getover. "

"Goodness gracious! Steve, were they men or boys!" demanded Bandy-legs. 

"Now I know you're thinking about Herb Benson; or it might be thattricky Ted Shafter, " remarked Steve. 

"Well, didn't we kinder half 'spect we'd have a visit from one ort'other of them crowds, p'r'aps both?" demanded Bandy-legs, with aninjured air. 

"All right; but these fellows didn't look like either lot. Then again, I'm right sure I saw the sun, away down in the west you see, shiningfrom something bright. Couldn't make it out first, and then all of asudden it broke in on me that they had a pair of field glasses, and mustbe examining this island. That made me remember our own pair, and Ihurried to get back off that log I was straddling; but before I'd beenable to make the shore, hang the luck, they'd gone. "

"Perhaps they saw you, and wanted to keep out of sight?" suggested Max. 

"That's just what they must 'a' done, " admitted Steve. "But where's thebally old glasses, fellows? I might lie around, and keep tabs on thatshore for a spell. Who knows but what they might show up again; and I'mcurious to learn just who they can be. "

Max quickly vanished inside the tent, and came out with the desiredobject in his hand. 

"Before you go, Steve, tell us whether they looked like men or boys?" heasked, handing the field glasses over. 

"Well, I couldn't see as good as I wanted, " was the hesitating reply;"but 'peared to me they were men, all right. And they seemed to bedressed in gray homespun, too, like some of the farmers around herewear. "

"Oh, perhaps after all it may have been a couple of young farmers takinga day off, hunting woodcock along the river. This is the time of yearfor the first brood to be big enough for shooting. The law opens for ashort spell, and then it's on again till fall, " Owen remarked, with hisknowledge of such things, gleaned from much reading. 

"They didn't seem to have any guns that I saw, " observed Steve, doggedly, as he hurried away. 

This gave the others something to talk about until the shades of eveningbegan to gather around them. Who these two men could be, and just _why_they seemed to take such an interest in Catamount Island, were questionsthat the boys debated from all sides. Even Bandy-legs seemed to bestirred up, and made all sorts of ridiculous suggestions. 

Steve came in finally. It only required one look at his disappointedface to tell that he had not met with any success in his latest mission. Even the delightful odor of his freshly caught bass, cooking in thefrying pan over the fire, failed to make Steve look happier. He did hateto be beaten in anything he undertook. 

"Nothing doing, Steve?" questioned Bandy-legs; for there is a saying tothe effect that "babes and fools rush in where brave men hesitate totread"; which, however, must not be taken to mean that Bandy-legsbelonged to either class, although he failed to approach a subject withtact. 

"Naw!" snapped Steve, as he hung the case containing the glasses up inits accustomed place inside the tent. 

A few minutes later, finding that no one bothered him for information, Steve, who was really brimming over with a desire to argue the matterwith his comrades, opened the subject himself. 

"Say, now, Max, you don't suppose that it could have been any of themfellows, do you?" he asked. 

Max, who was adjusting the coffee pot nicely on the slender iron barsthat formed what he was accustomed to call his "cooking stove, " thesefour resting on solid foundation of stones on either side of the hotlittle fire, turned his head when Steve addressed him particularly. 

"Which way did they seem to go when they left?" he asked, slowly, asthough the answer might have a good deal to do with his opinion. 

"Up the river, " replied Steve, promptly. 

"Well, then, I don't believe it could have been any of the boys, " waswhat Max went on to state; "and I'll tell you several reasons for sayingthat. In the first place there would have been three if it was the TedShafter crowd; and perhaps more if Herb had come up here to see whetherwe were really camping on Catamount Island. "

"Right you are, Max, " remarked Owen, who was listening carefully. 

"Then again, what would they be doing away up here so late in the day?"the other continued. "Why, it's miles and miles by road back to town. Even by the river in a boat they couldn't make it short of two hours;and traveling at night along the rapid Big Sunflower would be a ticklishjob that I wouldn't like to tackle. Last of all, why go on _up_ theriver? If they came in a boat, it would have to be down below us, youknow, boys. "

There was no dissenting voice raised against this line of argument onthe part of Max. And when they sat down to eat their supper the talk waswholly confined to the subject of the two mysterious men. Who were they, and why did they seem to be so greatly interested in Catamount Island?And when Steve made a move that must have attracted their attention, whyhad they bolted so hastily?

Again did all manner of surmises float to the surface. Bandy-legs wasbeginning to show signs of nervousness once more. Possibly the coming ofdarkness had much to do with his condition, for he shuddered every timehe felt that scratched ankle give him a twinge. For Bandy-legs fearedthat he was a marked person; and that if the dreaded occupant of thestrange cabin chose to pay them another visit before dawn, he would bethe one picked out for trouble. 

He seemed uneasy about supper, and wandered down to where the fourcanoes lay upon the sandy strip, as though the desire to again examinethat plugged hole in the bottom of his cedar craft had seized upon him. 

Those near the fire were paying little attention to Bandy-legs, for theyhappened just then to have started an argument along some line, andSteve was warmly defending his radical views. 

And when they heard Bandy-legs give utterance to a shrill whoop theyscrambled to their feet, half expecting to find that some fearful shapehad darted out from the surrounding forest, and was carrying their chumaway. 

CHAPTER X. 

THE BUILDER OF THE STRANGE CABIN. 

"What is it, Bandy-legs?" shouted Steve, who, in spite of his constantquarreling with the other, felt a great amount of affection for him. 

He had pounced down upon the ax, which happened to be lying close by, and this he flourished around his head as he started to meet the figurethat was scrambling up the little bank above the beach. 

"Whoo, somethin' jumped at me!" replied the startled boy, panting forbreath; for he had fallen at least twice, in his haste to rejoin hiscampmates near the blazing fire. 

Max took hold of him as he came up, and started to ask questions. Perhaps he already began to suspect that Bandy-legs was allowing hisfears to run away with his judgment. There was such a thing as beingfrightened at one's own shadow. 

"Are you sure you saw something, Bandy-legs?" he asked. 

"Course I am, " came the reply. 

"And it wasn't your shadow this time?" Max continued. 

Now, had Steve put It in exactly the same way, the boy would have shownimmediate indignation; but he seemed to understand that Max meant everyword, and was not simply trying to tease him. So he replied in like goodfaith. 

"It sure wasn't, Max. Why, just when I was goin' to bend down over mycanoe, to see how things looked inside, it gave a nasty little spitstraight in my face, and went whirling over the side. And, Max, it had atail as big as a broom, honest it did. "

"Oh, that means it must have been a 'coon, " remarked Max, beginning tolaugh. 

"But what would a measly old raccoon want in my canoe?" demandedBandy-legs. "If he just had to come snoopin' around, why couldn't thecritter pick out a boat belongin' to somebody else? Seems likeeverything has a spite against just me. "

"Well, of course, I can't tell you that, " remarked Max. "If you want toknow you'll have to ask the 'coon. Perhaps you may have dropped a smallpiece of food in your boat; and as he came prowling around, not verymuch afraid of us here, he got track of the same, and was hunting for itwhen you had to disturb him. "

"I don't wonder he sniffed in your face when you poked your head inthere, " declared Steve. "Nobody likes to be bothered when they'reeating. Just try taking a bone away from a hungry dog or cat, once, andsee. He thought you a busybody, that's what, Bandy-legs. But he's gonenow, if so be you want to investigate, and find out whether the 'coonchawed another hole in your canoe. "

But Bandy-legs only threw himself down by the fire. 

His air was that of one who was determined not to be easily lured awayfrom so comfortable a place until it was time to go to bed. They couldsee that Bandy-legs was really becoming quite worked up over the queerway a fickle fortune seemed to be showering little adventures on hisshoulders, while the rest went scot free. 

"Ain't we goin' to stand guard to-night, fellers?" he asked later on;showing how the subject stuck in his mind. 

"Guard over what?" asked Steve. 

"Why, that critter is bent on stealing every bit of our grub, and weought to do everything we can to break up his game, " Bandy-legsaffirmed, in a firm way that was rather new to him. 

"As how?" further questioned Steve; while the others listened as ifinterested. 

"Well, s'pose Max here laid out a plan that would give every feller twohours on the watch, " pursued Bandy-legs, proudly, as though he hadconjured up this beautiful little scheme all by himself, while sittingthere staring into the fire. "If I had that shotgun in my hands, I'djust like to see anybody, or anything, sneak in on us, and steal as muchas an egg. "

"I guess you would be a pretty dangerous customer, with a loaded gun inyour hands, the way you feel right now, " remarked Max, seriously. "Come, you mustn't think so much about it, Bandy-legs. Leave it to us, andwe'll try and fix it all right. "

"But I've got an idea of a trap in my mind I'd like to try out, "protested the other, eagerly. 

"That's all right, " laughed Max, "so long as you don't fall into ityourself, and get us all up in the middle of the night. You must promisenot to creep out at any time, to see if there's anything in it. "

"Oh, you'll know it, all right, if it does ketch game, " grinnedBandy-legs. "You see, I was readin' just last week about a crocodilehunter away off in Africa; and he used to set his traps about like theway I'm goin' to do mine now. "

"Go on and tell us about it, please?" asked Owen, always interested. 

"I've known farmers' boys to make the same sort of snare to grab rabbitsin the winter time, " Bandy-legs went on, being a most accommodating boy, especially when he had anything to tell about his own doings. "You finda nice stout hickory sapling of the right kind, and strip it of all thebranches. Then you bend it over, and fasten it to a crotched stickyou've pounded hard in the ground. The end of the sapling has a stoutcord tied to it, and this is made in the shape of a noose. The bait isput in this, and bunny gets his leg caught in the loop, which tightens, so he tugs to get away. Then up goes the sapling, when the trigger issprung, and the game hangs there, kicking in the air. "

"Fine!" remarked Steve, admiringly; "and the chances are just two toone, old fellow, that if you set a trap like that for a visitor, you'llbe the first to fall into it. "

"Oh, say, can't you let a feller get up even a little thing like thatwithout throwing cold water on him?" complained Bandy-legs, in a grievedtone. "Max, don't you think it'd work, if I tried it?"

"It might, " came the reply; "and perhaps there wouldn't be any harm donetrying. It's a pretty smart scheme, let me tell you, Bandy-legs. And ifwe heard a yell, and crawled out to see the thief hanging there, all thecredit would be yours. "

That settled it. Words of praise from so good an authority as Max wouldbrush away all the sarcastic remarks Steve could think up. SoBandy-legs, with a look of triumph at his opponent, picked up the ax andsauntered off again. But he was very careful to keep within the magicalcircle of light cast by the blazing camp fire. 

They heard him chopping away presently. 

"Found the very hickory you wanted, have you?" called out Max. 

"Just suits the bill, O. K. , " replied the busy one. 

After a little he came back for a piece of the rope. 

"Don't take more than you need, " Owen remarked. "Before we leave herethat rope may come in handy. You never can tell. "

"Yes, " said Steve, with grim humor; "and there's a mighty convenientlimb sticking out nearly straight and horizontal from that tree overyonder. If we happened to be out West now instead of ten miles fromCarson, the chances are they'd know what that same limb was meant for. "

"Oh, come, none of that stuff, " Max protested, for he saw thatBandy-legs frowned and looked a trifle unwilling to go away from thecircle again. "This is a peaceful community, and they never use ropesthat way around here. "

Ten minutes later and they heard a sudden snap, accompanied by certainpawing sounds, and a great grunting. Hurrying over to where the trapsetter had been hard at work they found him with his hands on theground, and one leg held high up in the air by the noose he had made ofthe rope. 

Despite the efforts of Bandy-legs, he seemed unable to reach the rope, and only for the prompt assistance of his chums he might have had aserious time of it. Of course Steve laughed as if he would have a fit, even while the others were taking the unfortunate trapper down. 

"Works all right, don't it, Bandy-legs?" he demanded. "When they got anew play that they want to try out in some small city away from NewYork, they say they're trying it on the dog first. And looks like you--"

"Shut up!" roared Bandy-legs, turning on his tormentor. "I wanted to seeif it would go off, that's all. "

"Well, it did!" remarked Steve, dryly. 

"And now I'm goin' to set it for fair, " returned the other, who seemedto be so well pleased with the result of his labors that he could eventake Steve's chaffing with some degree of good humor. 

They left him there, all but Max, who stayed to render any assistancethe ardent trapper might need. For Max had an idea that perhaps the trapmight play a part in the discovery of the unknown thief, should he takea notion to pay the camp another visit that night. 

Then they all sat around the blaze and chatted once more. 

"Does anybody know the history of this island, and who ever lived here?"asked Max. "That cabin must have been built a good many years ago, I'dthink, judging from the looks of it. "

"Say, I was thinkin' about that same thing this afternoon, when sittin'on that log fishing, " spoke up Steve. 

"Then you remembered something about it, did you?" asked Owen. 

"That's what I did, " came the ready response. "But it was a long timeago, and I must 'a' been only a little kid then, because I don't seem tojust recollect the whole story. "

"Tell us what you do remember, Steve?" suggested Max. 

"Yes, " continued Bandy-legs, "I'd give a lot to know whoever was sillyenough to want to live on this wild-looking old island, where in thespring they say the flood sometimes nearly covers everything. You c'nsee the drift hanging to the butts of some of the trees right now, andall pointin' downstream. "

"Good for you, Bandy-legs!" exclaimed the pleased Max; "I never thoughtyou'd notice such things. Owen and myself were talking about it; butwhen you get to paying attention to such small matters it shows thatyou're just bound to make a good woodsman some fine day. "

"You bet I am, " confided the other, cheerfully, his eyes glistening withpleasure at hearing one he respected so highly as Max Hastings hand outpraise in this manner. 

"Go on, Steve, tell us what you know, " Owen observed, encouragingly. 

"Well, I just happened to hear my dad talkin' with another gentlemanonce, and it was about this same island up here. They called itCatamount then, like they do right now. He said that a long time before, a man by the name of Wesley Coombs had bought the place for a song fromthe owners, and with his wife and baby here, started to clear the timberoff. So you see 'twas him that put up the queer little old cabin here. He thought he could have a great home of it in time. "

"Yes, I saw a number of big trees that must have been felled with the axyears ago, " Max remarked at this point; "and I was wondering about it. "

"W-w-what happened to W-w-wesley C-c-combs?" asked Toby. 

"It was a mighty sad thing, my dad said, " Steve went on, a tremor in hisown voice, for Steve was tender-hearted after his fashion; "you see, thefirst winter he was here he made quite a heap of money trappin' furs, and fishing through the ice for pickerel that he sold in town. Then inthe spring the floods came and the whole little family was wiped out;though the cabin, bein' built so strong, held out against the freshet, and it has ever since, too. "

"All drowned, Wesley Coombs, his wife, and his baby, too; that's a toughstory of the old island you're giving us, Steve, " remarked Owen. 

"Well, they said as how the man was saved, but he was stark starin' mad;and my dad said he died later on. I never could get that story out of mybead for a long time. It gave me a bad feeling this afternoon when Iremembered the same, and I thought of that little cabin once being ahappy home. "

"Gee! I hope one of them same floods don't take a notion to swoop downthis way while we're camped on Catamount Island!" declared Bandy-legs. 

"Oh, well, we'd get home in a hurry if it did, " remarked Steve, indifferently. "You know, they said our canoes couldn't sink, becausethey've got air tanks fitted away up in the bow and back in the stern. All we'd have to do would be to lash ourselves to 'em with pieces ofthat rope, and float along till we got opposite Carson, when we'd yellfor help. Yes, Owen was right; that rope might come in handy one way oranother, yet. "

"For shame, Steve, " called out Max; "trying to mike Bandy-legs nervousagain. There never was a flood at this time of year, take my word forit. But we'll try and make ourselves as secure as we can, with ourcanoes in the bargain; because, if those Shafters did take it into theirheads to raid us tonight, we want to be ready for them. "

And it was with that idea in mind that the campers busied themselves forhalf an hour or so before the time they had set for crawling under theirblankets, and "wooing the moose, " as Bandy-legs put it, meaning to casta sly reflection on the well-known habit Steve had of snoring in hissleep when lying on his back. 

CHAPTER XI. 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE SECOND NIGHT. 

"Owen, Owen, wake up!"

When Bandy-legs dug his elbow into the side of his sleeping chum, andwhispered these words in his ear, naturally enough the said Owen couldnot help but awaken. 

"What ails you?" he asked sleepily; and even Steve stirred as though thesound of their voices had aroused him. 

"My trap's sprung!" was the rather surprising information Bandy-legsvouchsafed in return. 

"The dickens you say!" exclaimed Owen, suddenly sitting up in thedarkness. "Now, how d'ye know that fact? Did anything give a yelp?"

"No, " continued the other, eagerly; "but you see, Owen, before I went tosleep I had Max tie a string to my leg and the other end to that loop. It was fixed under the root of a tree; and if the trap went off, why, don't you see, the string'd give me just a sweet little yank, like itwanted to tell me to come around and take my game out. "

"And did you feel that same yank?" demanded Steve, sitting up suddenly. 

"Right now, before I woke Owen up. Oh, it was a sure enough jerk, allright! What'll we do about it?" demanded Bandy-legs. 

"Let's crawl out and see what happened, " remarked Owen, setting hisactions to correspond with his words, and being followed by his twocompanions. 

"What is it?"

That was Max speaking, and they could see his head poked out from thepartly open flap of the smaller tent. Evidently he must have been awakeat the time, or else the sound of murmuring voices aroused him; for Maxalways declared that he was a very light sleeper. 

"Bandy-legs here says his trap is sprung, " remarked Owen. "He tells usyou fixed a string to his leg and the other end to the loop. Well, thatjust gave him word something had happened. "

"We'll soon find out, " was all Max remarked, as he proceeded to crawlall the way out of his tent. 

Stepping over he picked up the lantern, and a match that had been lefthandily near by. And so it took but a fraction of a minute for them topossess a light that would answer all purposes. 

The four of them then approached the place where Bandy-legs had set hiswonderful snare, which he had tested so well himself to start with. 

"Huh! I don't see anybody swinging around here!" remarked the alwaysskeptical Steve. 

"Neither do I, " added Owen, in a tone of disappointment. 

"But see, fellers, the old trap, she's gone off!" exclaimed Bandy-legs, in a thrilling tone. "Didn't I tell you I felt a pull that woke me up?It worked, just you bet it did, now. "

The hickory sapling was indeed standing up almost straight, with theloop dangling part way down; but the snare was devoid of any victim. 

Max looked around as best he could with such a poor light. 

"I don't see the first sign of any tracks here, " he remarked. 

"Shucks, the chances are Bandy-legs might have kicked in the night, andthat was enough to set the loop free!" Steve declared. 

"He couldn't do that, " answered Max; "I fixed that string in such a waythere was no danger of it happening. But I rather think some fox inhunting around set the thing off, but didn't get caught in the spreadloop. It was set for bigger game, you remember, boys. "

"Well, I'm going back to my blanket again, " said Owen. "It feels chillyout here, and there's no use staying. "

Even Bandy-legs seemed to have lost all faith in his wonderful snare;for he declined to stay long enough to put it in working order again. Twice now it had gone off, and there could be no telling what the thirdresult might be if he ventured to try it again, which he would not. 

There was no further alarm, and at dawn the boys came piling out oftheir tents. The weather seemed to have grown a bit sultry, so Maxremarked that perhaps a dip in the water of the Big Sunflower might notfeel out of the way. 

So they had a happy little time of it, splashing each other, andcarrying on as any five carefree lads might be expected to; until all ofthem decided they had had enough, when dressing was the next thing onthe programme. 

Bandy-legs was the first to finish. The fire was burning briskly, and anice red bed of embers between the side stones invited the attention ofthe cook of the morning, namely himself. 

"Say, where'd you hang that half of a ham, Owen?" he asked, after whatseemed a vain search. 

"Just where we always kept it, " was the reply; "suspended from that limbof the oak over--well, did anybody change it around or take it insidethe tent?" and Owen looked his surprise, when the others all shook theirheads in the negative. 

"It's gone!" cried Bandy-legs, looking very unhappy; "our nice ham'sbeen hooked!"

A rush was made for the oak tree in question. 

"There's the twine I hung it up by, dangling from the limb right now, "declared Owen, pointing. 

"But show me the ham, will you?" asked Bandy-legs. "We can't make adecent breakfast off string that's only got a ham flavor, can we?"

"Why, it must have been full six feet up from the ground, " remarkedSteve, for the benefit of Bandy-legs; "I never thought before a panthercould leap _that_ high!"

"Oh, gracious!" began Bandy-legs; and then, seeing the look on Steve'sface, he understood that the other was only baiting him for a fall:whereupon he shut his jaws hard together, and determined not to be takenin. 

Max, of course, was already looking for signs. It was his opinion thatfew things could happen without there being evident traces left behind, if only one knew how to find them. 

"Here's a track, fellows; and it looks like the same we saw before!" hecalled out, presently, as he bent over eagerly. 

"It sure does, " admitted Owen. 

"Right under where our lovely ham hung, too, " wailed Bandy-legs. 

"All he had to do was to reach up and grab it, " commented Owen. 

Toby did not say anything, but went through a pantomime movement as of aman taking possession of some object dangling there from the limb. 

"I wish now we'd taken it in our tent, when Max complained that the hamsmell made it unpleasant in his own, " Bandy-legs went on. 

"There was a man once who actually locked the door of his stable afterhis horse was took, " Steve ventured; at which Max laughed. 

"Well, it does look like we'd have to go without ham for a while, boys;but after all, it was only a half. Think how bad we'd feel if it was awhole one. And whoever took it must have been pretty hungry in thebargain. He's been living on partridges right along, when he could findany in his snares. The rest of the time he went without a bite, seemslike. "

"But, Max, who is he?" asked Steve; at which the other shrugged hisshoulders. 

"Ask me something easy, boys, " he replied. "I've never seen him evenonce, like Herb and his chums did, when they tried to sleep in thatqueer old cabin. But you see, we've got his footprints right here in thedirt. They ought to tell us something, perhaps. "

"But, Max, footprints can't talk, can they?" demanded Bandy-legs, "Always, in their own language, " was the ready reply. "You have to studythat a while though, before you can understand what they say. "

"Oh, yes, I'm on to you now, Max, " cried the other, triumphantly; "youmean that you can tell it was a man by the size of the prints; ain'tthat it?"

"One of many things, " answered Max. "Now, this seems to have been apretty hefty sort of fellow, because the marks are big. It is a commonshoe, too, just like the men make and wear in the prisons and publicinstitutions. "

Bandy-legs fairly gasped for breath at hearing this remark. To his mindit seemed to imply that the mysterious dweller of the strange cabin onCatamount Island must be an escaped convict, a desperate ruffian, whomight take a notion to murder them all in their sleep. 

"And we've still got five more nights to stay here!" he groaned, asthough with that new intelligence the very last hope he was cherishingof ever being able to see his folks again vanished like a puff of smokein the wind. 

"Say, that makes me think of something, " Steve broke out just then. 

"About what?" asked Max, turning from his examination of the plainfootprint at the place where the unknown visitor had stood when reachingup for the tempting half of a smoked ham. 

"Those two men, " the other went on to say. 

"What about 'em?" asked Owen. 

"I said they wore gray homespun clothes, didn't I, just like thefarmers, plenty of 'em, have around these diggings? Well, I've changedmy mind, boys. It just broke in on me that I saw somethin' flash everytime they moved this way and that. No, it wasn't the field glasseseither; but somethin' about their clothes. Brass buttons, I reckon, boys! Them men might 'a' been wardens from the penitentiary, lookin' fora prisoner that escaped some time ago!"

Steve drew himself up proudly, as though conscious of the fact that hehad hit upon a very plausible explanation of the mystery. Max wasevidently thinking it over, for his face seemed serious enough, to besure. 

"That doesn't sound so much out of the way, Steve, " he admitted. "Factis, it may be the very thing. Some of these guards have gray uniforms, Ibelieve; and they put brass buttons on the same, just to make them lookofficial-like. Yes, they wanted to get over here, and didn't have aboat. Perhaps they've gone up river to get one, and cross to the island. They might try it to-day; and then again perhaps they'd wait for anothernight, for fear of frightening him away, and losing him somehow if hejumped into the river. "

"What a peck of trouble we've sure struck since we took on that dare, "Owen remarked, just then. 

"Yes, " added Bandy-legs, with a sad look, "and the end ain't come alongyet, by a big sight. "

Of course they had plenty of other things to supply the lack of ham forbreakfast. Max even went to the trouble of making some flapjacks, justto take away the bitter disappointment Bandy-legs seemed to feel overthe disappearance of the joint. And all of them united in declaring thatthey did not care how soon he had the same notion again, the cakes wereso fine. 

The day was very warm, and having been reminded that the Big SunflowerRiver was capable of assuming the dimensions of a flood upon certainoccasions, nervous Bandy-legs turned one eye upward from time to time, as though trying to figure out whether they might expect a cloudburst ofsome sort, should a storm drop in upon them. 

Steve joked him more than a little about his new fears. 

"Got your tree all picked out, have you, Bandy-legs?" he would remark inhis bantering way. "Be sure and tie your canoe to the lower limb, soit'll stay by you. And feel a little pity, won't you, please, for theother poor fellers who go ridin' down the raging flood, hangin' on tothe bottom of their boats? Oh, it's a wise guy you show yourself, oldboy. They don't ketch you asleep, do they? Weasels ain't in it withBandy-legs, boys. You see from the way he looks at that oak yonder, that's his choice, when she comes bowling along here. "

Max had some little scheme of his own on his mind. He did not even takehis cousin into his confidence; but along after lunch he picked up thegun, and, remarking that he might go for a little walk along the shore, left them wondering. 

They knew Max well enough to feel pretty certain he must have something"hatching, " as Steve put it; and all sorts of guesses were indulged induring his absence. 

Although the four boys left in camp amused themselves in a variety ofways, even fishing with fair success, as Steve had done on the precedingday, time hung heavy on their hands that afternoon. It seemed as thoughthe sun would never draw near the line of far-away hills that marked thewestern horizon. 

More than a few times Owen would look up, as some slight sound caughthis ear. He was listening for the report of the gun Max carried; but asthe minutes turned into hours, and nothing was heard, Owen began to growanxious. 

He had almost reached the point of proposing that they give a halloo, and if no reply came, start out to look for the absent chum, when amoving figure up the shore caught his attention, and presently itdeveloped into Max. 

"See anything of the convict?" asked Steve, upon whom that idea seemedto have taken a decided hold. 

Max shook his head in the negative. 

"Have you been up to that cabin again?" asked Owen, suspiciously. 

"I suppose I might as well tell you that I've laid a little plan that, if it only turns out well, may bag the unknown visitor we had lastnight, " Max confessed. "You see, when we were up there the other day, Inoticed that old as it was, the cabin was as strong as anything. If afellow could only slip up, and shoot a bar across the door in any wayafter _some one_ went inside, it'd be dollars to doughnuts he'd find thechap there in the morning. "

"And when would you do all this fine slipping-up business?" asked Steve. 

"I'm going there again to-night, " Max continued, positively; "and liearound to see what happens. And none of you need say a single word, because you don't come along with me. When I've managed to secure thatdoor as I've arranged for, it'll be time enough to let you know aboutit. Forget it now, boys; and let's talk about supper. "

Bandy-legs stared hard at Max, as though he could not believe his ears. That anyone would dare venture all the way up to that strange cabin inthe darkness of the night, and even try and capture the desperateruffian whom they now believed to be an escaped convict, amazed him. 

Sure enough, that night, about the time the boys under ordinaryconditions would be thinking of seeking their blankets, Max quietly tookhis gun and vanished from the sight of his chums. 

He had taken particular note of every step of the route along the bankwith this night journey in view. And he felt now that he could silentlymake his way along without anything bordering upon an accident. Had anyof the others been with him a clumsy mis-step was apt to create trouble;and Bandy-legs in particular was always getting into a mess. 

Max had reached a point about halfway up the shore of Catamount Islandwhen he suddenly stopped short and crouched low. Surely that was the lowsound of voices coming to his ear. And he immediately recognized thefact that the murmur must be carried across the water, which is such asplendid conveyer of sounds. 

Then some persons must be coming off from the shore in a boat! His mindwent back to what Steve had seen of the two men in gray uniforms. Werethey about to land on the island now, bent upon recapturing thedesperate man who was hiding there. 

Max had just about come to this decision when he had occasion to alterhis views of the matter. He heard a peculiar little cough, which struckhim as mighty familiar. Their old enemy, Ted Shafter, had an odd way ofmaking such a sound; and there were those who said it was caused bysmoking so many cigarettes. Did this cigarette cough mean that Ted andhis two cronies were coming to play a practical joke on the campers ofCatamount Island?

CHAPTER XII. 

A BOLD PLAN. 

"Hold on, fellers! Let's get a line on what this rotten old shore lookslike, " Max plainly heard Ted Shafter say, in a low tone. 

The oars continued to dip in the water, for unless this were donecontinually the swift current would carry the boat downstream rapidlyenough. 

Looking closely at the point from whence the sound proceeded Maxbelieved he could make out an object that seemed darker than thesurroundings. This then must be the boat in which the three boys hadpulled all the way up from Carson; a job not to be sneered at, considering the weight of the craft, and the strength of the current. 

"Hang the luck, Ted, I can't see anything but just a solid blur, "remarked another of the occupants of the boat; and Max knew that it wasShack Beggs, whose father was an engineer in one of the works at Carson, who made this disgusted remark. 

"I can see trees, and I think some rocks, " said a third one, undoubtedlyAmiel Toots; for he had a soft oily voice, just as Amiel was a soft oilyboy, treacherous by nature, and only faithful to Ted because he reallyfeared the big bully. 

"That accounts for the whole bunch of them, " Max was saying to himself, and at the same time endeavoring to figure out how he could give thethree rowdies a scare that would send them flying down the river, not tocome back again. 

Max thought he saw a way of accomplishing this much-to-be-desired end. He had in his pocket several flashlight powders that he had intendedusing in the line of photography, if the occasion ever arose for tryingto take a picture during the period of darkness. With them he alsocarried a clever little arrangement fashioned after the style of apistol, whereby with a pressure of one finger the flash could be broughtabout. 

There, they were talking again, after all of them had been trying theirhardest to make out the conformation of the shore near which they wereat the time. 

"Reckon yuh must move in a little closer, Ted, if so be yuh 'spect ustuh see just where tuh land, " Shack remarked. 

"Don't you think we ought to go a little slow about landing?" remarkedAmiel, who evidently had certain fears of his own, which same caused hissoft oily voice to quiver painfully. 

"Aw! what's the matter with you?" grated Ted, savagely. "Just acausethem fellers go to talkin' 'bout ghosts and all that stuff, you'reafraid, that's what! Sho! didn't we see Max Hastings and his crowd thereon the foot of the plagued island? If they could stay here two nightsa'ready, what's a-goin' to hurt us inside of only one hour, tell methat, hey?"

When Max heard this he came near chuckling. It seemed to answer thequestion he had been asking himself; for he wondered whether thesefellows could have heard about the scare Herb and his friends receivedsome little time ago, when they tried to stop on the island over night. 

Apparently, then, they had, and the fact had even made a strongimpression on the weakest one of the lot, Amiel Toots. And Max was notso sure about the others being very far removed from fear in connectionwith that same subject, much as they made out to show courage. 

"It's going to work all right, see if it don't, " Max whispered tohimself, as he began to make ready to start things moving. 

First of all he wanted to screen his own body completely from sight; forwhen the sudden vivid flash came it would disclose every little objectaround for a radius of many feet. This was easily accomplished. Aconvenient tree trunk offered a friendly asylum; and back of this hemight hide, so that no one could see him, from the river side at least. 

First of all he gave a very dismal groan. Max was not up in matterspertaining to ghosts in general, and could only make a guess at emittingthe proper kind of sound; but really it did seem quite "shivery, " evento the boy responsible for making it. 

"Glory be! What was that?" he heard Amiel ask, instantly. 

Utter silence followed, and apparently everyone in the boat waslistening with might and main for a repetition of the groan. Max thoughtit would be a pity to disappoint those fellows. They had come so _very_far just to have some fun; and if they were now compelled to go all theway back to Carson without ever having the least amusement, think of thetrouble they had taken for nothing! And after all, it was so easy togive them good measure, brimming full, and running over. So he groanedthree times in rapid succession, just as if the troubled spirit might begetting impatient. 

He heard exclamations of renewed alarm from the pitch darkness; forclouds shut out what little light might have come from the heavensabove. 

"Let's get out of this, boys!" Ted was heard to say. 

"Hurry, hurry! I thought I saw something moving right then! Be quick, fellows!" Amiel Toots exclaimed, in thick accents, as though his frighthad become such as to seriously interfere with the working of his vocalcords. 

Max waited no longer. He knew that the boat, drifting down with thecurrent, was now exactly opposite to him. He heard the splash of theoars striking the water; although in their haste and clumsiness thethree Carson boys were in danger of upsetting their craft while tryingto turn so quickly. 

Max pressed the trigger of his little flashlight pistol. Instantly adazzling light sprang forth, blinding the eyes of the three in the boatjust as if they had met with a bolt of descending lightning. 

Then it was gone, as quick as that, leaving the darkness of the nightmore noticeable than before. Max was satisfied with his work. He heardcries of horror break forth from Ted Shafter and his two cronies. AmielToots even started to crying like a big baby, he was so badlyfrightened; while the others tugged at the oars desperately, in theendeavor to turn the boat, so as to head downstream. 

And when they did finally get started, the way they tugged at thoseashen blades was enough to win almost any race. 

"Good-by, Ted and Company!" said Max, not out loud, but to himself in alow tone; for he did not want to lessen the fear that had gripped thosethree fellows. 

He could hear the sound of the oars working furiously in the rowlockslong after the fugitives must have passed the lower end of the island. Of course the rest of the campers would catch the sounds that had welledforth, and feel curious about them; but between the four they ought tobe able to figure out what it meant. And as the fact of his possessingthe flashlight powders was known, they must realize that he, Max, was atthe bottom of the whole affair. 

As Max continued his forward progress he was trying to understand whatTed and his friends had meant to do. They knew, of course, how thecampers expected to stay there on Catamount Island for a whole week; andthe temptation to try and play a mean trick on Max and his chums hadfinally moved them to get a boat, and row all the way up here. 

No doubt they had arrived in the vicinity of the island at some timeduring the afternoon; but unwilling to show themselves, lest theirintentions be thwarted, they had waited down around the next bend untildarkness came along to conceal their movements. 

Just what they expected to do no one ever knew; but such mean trickswere always cropping up in the minds of the trio, that even the settingadrift of all the canoes, thus compelling the campers to swim ashore, and foot it all the way back to Carson, would not be anything unusualfor them. 

However, there need be little fear that those three frightened boyswould ever make a second attempt to land on Catamount Island, especiallyduring the night time. So far as they were concerned, the campers mightnow rest easy; and even Bandy-legs, when he heard the facts, could drawa relieved breath. 

Max now tried to forget all about the recent little adventure, and fixhis whole mind on what lay ahead of him. He had started out on whatseemed rather a risky errand, if, as they suspected, the occupant of thestrange cabin was really a desperate escaped convict. Still, Max was abrave lad; and having once conceived this little plan of campaign, hecould not force himself to give it up, just because it carried a spiceof danger. 

He knew that at a certain point, which he had marked, he must leave theshore of the island, and turn aside. Through dense shrubbery then hiscourse lay; but he had marked it well in his mind, so that he couldfollow it faithfully, even in pitch darkness. And it was only a littleway, after all, before he would come upon the strange cabin with thegreen roof and lichen-covered side logs. 

Several times he stopped to listen, but heard no suspicious sound. Oncea small animal of some sort started off nearly under his feet, and gavethe boy a shock; but nevertheless he did not turn back. Having made hismind up on a certain matter, it would have to be something more thanthat to make him change his plans. 

Before quitting camp he had asked his chums to leave something in theline of food, where it could be easily found by a roving man, while outof the reach of foxes, 'coons, and 'possums. This he meant to be in theshape of a bait. If the half-starved marooned convict once got it in hisclutch he would undoubtedly make straight for the cabin retreat, thereto devour his prize. And it was while the unknown party was engaged inthis delightful task that Max expected to slip up and fasten the door bymeans of the arrangement he had fixed that afternoon, a very simpleaffair, too, as it turned out. 

Now he could just distinguish the dark blur ahead of him, which he knewmust be made by the cabin itself. As the trees were not quite so denseoverhead in this spot, for once upon a time, many years ago, poor WesleyCoombs had started to clear around his then newly made log cabin, Maxwas soon able to make out the partly open door, just as he had found, and also left it, so as not to excite the suspicions of his intendedvictim. 

Then he settled down to watch, hoping that if the man were waiting for achance to steal more food, he would soon find an opportunity, and comehurrying back to dispose of it as before. For Max had found the bone oftheir ham, picked clean, in the shack that afternoon when he visited it;though there had been no sign of any human being around at the time, theman evidently only sleeping under that old but stout roof. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

UNSEEN PERILS THAT HOVERED NEAR. 

Once Max had crept softly up to the side of the cabin and listened, withall his senses on the alert. If the unknown were asleep within, hesurely must have betrayed the fact by his labored breathing. 

No sound, however slight, came to the alert ears of the boy from insidethe strange cabin; and from this fact he felt pretty positive that itmust be entirely empty at the time. 

After that he moved back again and took up his old station, where theundergrowth would shelter him. He had picked out the place in thedaylight, and made sure it was not in the path one would naturally takewhen coming from the lower end of the island. When settling this matterMax had in mind the unpleasant nature of the meeting should the otherstumble upon him as he hid there waiting. 

How slowly the minutes passed! To kill the time he began counting, asthough in imagination he could see the great pendulum of the grandfatherclock that stood in the hall at home, why even a minute seemedenormously long, and five of them an eternity. 

Then he allowed his mind to roam back again to the camp, where his fourchums were at that minute. He was trying to picture the coming of theescaped convict in his striped suit, creeping up like a stealthy tiger, and quickly discovering the food that had been left there as a bait. 

How eagerly would he pounce upon it, and then head back to the vicinityof the lonely cabin, around which clung such sad memories of thattragedy of the long ago, when the waters came up in the night, and tookthe whole Coombs family off to their death. 

Once Max felt his nerves thrill with expectancy, as he caught a movementclose by. His hands involuntarily tightened on the stock of the gun hecarried, not to use upon the convict, but as a measure of precaution. 

Listening intently, he felt sure that he could detect a slight creepingsound, as if some one, or some _thing_, were stealthily approaching thespot where he crouched, and held his very breath with suspense. 

Surely this could not be a man making his way along. Such a burly figuremust make more noise than now reached him. Only a sleek animal couldpass from log to log with but a faint pat of feet; or it might be thebrushing of the bushes in its progress toward him. 

But it was no small raccoon or mink that was slowly approaching, asthough bent upon finding out what manner of intruder lay in concealmentthere. 

Facing the slight sounds Max waited, and watched, and listened. If hispulses were bounding much faster than their wont it was not surprising, for as yet he had not the slightest idea as to what might happen. 

Should this, for instance, be one of the ferocious wild-cats for whichthe island had been famous long before Wesley Coombs ever dreamed ofsettling there, Max felt that he would hardly find himself in anenviable position; since the gloom under the trees must prevent him fromseeing how to aim with certainty. 

Given daylight, and that faithful little gun, the boy would not havethought it anything terrible to face at close quarters the biggest andmost savage wild-cat ever known; for his charge of birdshot might becounted on to serve the purpose of a large bullet, and tear a hole inthe side of the beast. 

It was far different at dead of night, and such a dark night at that. And Max, while he could hardly be said to have had very much experiencein that line, knew from hearing old Trapper Jim up in the North Woodstell stories that a wounded bobcat was one of the meanest things to runup against known to hunters. 

The sounds kept on, and even became slightly plainer. This would surelyindicate that the animal must be drawing nearer in his cautious way. Perhaps it was only curiosity that urged him on. Max hoped so from thebottom of his boyish heart. He did not have any desire to find a savagedenizen of the wilds fastened on his back, clawing and tearing with thefury of a demon, while he himself would be almost helpless to get at hisenemy. 

Max was determined on one thing. No matter about the escaped convict andtheir desire to capture him, self-preservation must stand first on thecalendar; and if he really found himself in a position where heanticipated an attack from the big cat, he meant to pour in the contentsof both barrels, and then take chances. 

As he continued to watch, always in the one quarter, where the slightnoise indicated the presence of the creeping beast, Max saw somethingthat riveted his attention immediately. At first he thought it was aglowworm, or possibly a firefly that had not yet arisen from the lushgrass in which it lay concealed during the daytime. 

Then, with a sudden shock, he realized what it was, for now there weretwo of the glowing spots, and close together. The cat had turned itshead slightly, exposing both eyes. Like the orbs of all creatures of thefeline species its eyes in the darkness glowed as though they were madeof phosphorus. 

It was far from a pleasant sight. Small wonder that the boy's handstrembled a little as he raised his gun, so as to cover those twin spotsof yellow fire. He did not want to shoot, and only meant to do so as avery last resort; but since there was no telling what the treacherousbrute might attempt to do, Max felt that he must keep himself inreadiness every second of the time. 

One thing brought him a little reassurance; so far as he could ascertainnow, the bobcat was no longer advancing. Doubtless it lay there, stretched out upon a convenient log, and intently watching the crouchingfigure among the bushes, which it undoubtedly recognized as belonging tothe hated, and also feared, human family. 

Max stared as hard as he could straight back. He wanted it to understandthat he was not in the least afraid, for that was what would count mostwhen facing a wild beast. 

A woman had been known to set a tiger in flight by opening her redparasol and rushing straight at him; while a bugler, about to bedevoured by a lion, frightened the animal away by waving his arms andblowing all sorts of weird notes on his instrument. 

Another man Max had heard of, upon finding himself at the mercy of atiger, being utterly unarmed, was inspired to throw himself over, sothat he stood upon his hands, waving both feet in the air, and in thisposture advancing, finally dropping upon all fours, and still runningtoward the beast. Unable to understand what manner of creature this wasthe tiger slunk away. 

For a space of perhaps five minutes, which to Max were like so manyhours, the curious bobcat remained there, watching him as a cat might amouse at play. Then the boy plainly heard the animal give a snarl as ofutter disgust, and the glowing orbs vanished; while he could hear thepat of velvet-shod feet as they landed on another log. 

At any rate, the beast had withdrawn, much to the relief of the lad. Andagain he was free to take up his own business of watching for the returnof the occupant of the strange cabin on Catamount Island. 

Another period of waiting, and Max again caught a slight sound. At firsthe feared that his former visitor, the bobcat, had returned with theintention of making a closer investigation; but, after listening, hebecame convinced that this was not the case. 

Now it was a peculiar rustling among the dead leaves that lay under thetrees, no fire having ever swept across the island, at least for manyyears. The sound was really continuous, and could hardly be made by thepassage of any animal--mink, skunk, weasel, 'coon, 'possum or evenmuskrat. 

Then it must be some sort of snake that was gliding along close by him. Again did the boy feel a sense of repulsion. He knew that it had longbeen said the island up the Big Sunflower was a nest of rattlesnakes, though so far none of them had seen even one of the scaly reptiles. Whatif this were one of the deadly species that was being attracted towardhis crouching form?

He could not refrain from making some movement, with the intention offrightening it away; and was immediately gratified by hearing the slightrustling pass off to one side, as though his ruse had been successful. 

This was really getting monotonous, and he found himself wondering whenit might come to an end. What could be delaying the man? Had he, Max, miscalculated, so that the unknown party would not be apt to try toenter the camp until away toward morning? Or could it be that the boyswere sitting up unusually late?

Max hardly believed this latter was the case, since he had asked them toretire shortly after he left; and supposed that they would heed hiswishes in the matter, knowing how important it was to start thingsgoing. 

So he finally concluded that the man himself was unduly cautious. Well, he had reason to be, if, as they now believed, he chanced to be anescaped prisoner, who had broken out from the penitentiary, and wastrying to elude recapture by hiding in this remote and unusual haunt. 

But surely it could not be much longer. Why, it seemed to Max that hoursmust have elapsed since he parted from his chums, and started on thislittle private enterprise of his own. Much had happened to him in thattime, and he marveled to think how events could crowd upon each other'sheels, once they started. 

There was that little adventure with Ted Shafter and his followers, whereby he had, by a clever ruse, sent the fellows hurrying back downthe river, and given them such a good scare that they would never againbother the campers on Catamount Island. 

Then came the affair with the prowling bobcat; and Max would certainlynot soon forget the chilly sensation that held possession of him all thetime he could see those twin glowing yellow orbs fastened upon him. 

And last, though far from least, had been that fear when he found reasonto believe a passing rattler was within half a dozen feet of him. 

Could there be any further danger to be met? He knew of none, and hopednothing might occur to give him another thrill such as those that hadpassed. For while Max Hastings might be said to be a resolute lad, aboutas fearless as the ordinary boy of his years, perhaps more so, still hedid not yearn for excitement. 

There was Steve now, who was quite another proposition; he just dearlyloved a racket, and was never so happy as when he felt that there was afight of some sort in prospect, he cared very little what its nature. 

How much longer could he stand it? And was midnight far past? Max wouldhave given something for a chance to glance at the little nickel watchhe carried; but the flash of a lighted match might come just at a timeto ruin his carefully laid plans, and he declined to take the risk. 

There was no striking clock in a church tower to tell him of the night, such as he was accustomed to at home; and Max was hardly woodsman enoughto be able to read the stars and know by that means. 

The thought came to him with great force, however, as he lay therelooking up at the few stars he could see through the leafy canopyoverhead; and Max determined that henceforth he would place himself inposition to know just when certain bright stars might be expected torise above the eastern horizon each succeeding night or others set inthe west. 

His long vigil was fated to come to an end at last, however. When theboy was almost ready to give up, and confess that sleep was masteringhis desire to accomplish things, he heard a sound again. 

Ah, this time it could be neither the rustle of a cat's body through thefoliage nor the sinuous movements of a gliding snake along the ground. Closer it drew, and again did Max hold his breath with suspense; for nowhe knew beyond a doubt that a human being was approaching with hurriedsteps, and that the unknown headed toward the cabin, coming from downthe island, too!

Once Max allowed himself to suspect that it might be one of his chumstrying to find his place of concealment, and that something dreadfulmight have happened in camp that required his immediate presence. Thisthought, however, he immediately put aside as nonsense. It must be theinmate of the strange cabin who, having stolen the provisions, just asMax had expected he would, was now making a bee line for his retreatwith the intention of devouring the same!

Closer came the rushing sound, as of the passage of some large form. Maxhad, it seemed, been wise to choose his hiding place in a thicket, whereno one would think of going, for in this way he avoided contact with thestranger. 

Directly past him Max saw a moving bulk go, and all he could make outwas that the other was a man of unusual proportions, a giant in fact. 

Then he heard him come up against the wall of the cabin, give a grunt, grope around for the door, and pass within. 

After which the sound of the door closing came agreeably to the ears ofthe boy. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

HOW THE SCHEME WORKED. 

"Now it's about time for me to be doing something!"

That was what Max whispered to himself, after he was sure the unknownparty had taken up his quarters within that queer cabin with the greenroof and lichen-covered walls. 

The very thought of being able to move, and start doing things, seemed arelief. His muscles were so cramped from long sitting in the oneposition that at first he experienced quite severe twinges, when hestarted to leave the hiding place he had been occupying for some hoursat least. 

It took Max but a very short time to creep up to the side of the cabin. He had to be exceedingly careful, to be sure, since he could not tellwhat keen ears the fugitive from justice might possess. And surely anescaped convict would be apt to always be on the alert for soundscalculated to spell danger to him. 

Before reaching the wall, however, Max had made a discovery. As is usualin the case of old log cabins that have stood neglected for many years, subject to storms, and the heat of summer, as well as the wintry blasts, some of the dried mud that had once been plastered between the logs tofill in the "chinks" had become loosened and fallen away. 

Max had noted this fact before when prowling around. Indeed, ereentering the suspected cabin on that very day, he had taken theprecaution to glue an eye to one of these cracks, and endeavor to findout whether it were safe for him to go in. 

And now, through these same chinks there came streams of light, showingthat the occupant possessed a supply of matches at least, and hadlighted something that served him for a candle; possibly a long splinterof lightwood, picked up in the daytime at a point where the lightninghad riven a resinous pine tree, and scattered it over the surroundingground. 

With the intention of seeing what the escaped convict looked like, Maxmade for one of these slender openings that ran the same way as thehorizontal logs. He, of course, picked out the one that seemed to offerhim the best advantages, in that it was a trifle larger than any of therest. 

Avoiding the shaft of light all he could, until ready to thrust his faceup to the logs, and fill in the gap, Max crept along on hands and knees, trailing his gun. 

He could hear slight movements from within, as though the man might bedoing something. Max could give a pretty good guess what that was, if, as he suspected, the bait had been taken from the trap in the camp, andthe convict arrived here with his arms filled with provisions. 

Now Max was close enough to be able to accomplish the end he had inview. The very second he fastened his eye to that slender aperture hefelt a thrill pass over his frame again, similar to that which hadattacked him at the time he faced the crouching wild-cat. 

He saw a man seated tailor fashion, with his legs crossed, on the hardearthen floor of the cabin. He seemed to be tearing at some food withalmost the ferocity of a half-starved dog. 

Max looked in vain for the expected and well-known stripes that woulddistinguish a prison convict. This man did not wear anything of thesort. His garments were of a very ordinary kind, though just nowexceedingly ill kept, from groveling in the dirt, and sleeping night andday without taking them off. 

His hair seemed to be rather long and unkempt, while there was a wildlook in his face; and the way he cast his staring eyes about sent a coldchill into the heart of the watching lad. 

Max realized that after all he and his chums had made a very poor guessof it, when they tried to figure things out. But he also felt a littlesatisfaction when he remembered how he had declared the footprint wasmade by a common shoe, such as inmates in all public institutions wore, as they are made in prisons by those who are serving long sentences. 

This wretched man, then, was no escaped convict; but he was undoubtedlya crazy being, who, having fled from some retreat, thought to eluderecapture by hiding in this lonely place!

Max hardly knew what to think. The change was so complete that he feltas though he must alter his plans in accordance with the new line-up. Itwould have been all right for the boys to help recapture a desperatecriminal, whose being at large was a constant menace to the peacefulcommunity; but would the same apply when it was a lunatic who kept housein that strange cabin on Catamount Island?

No matter what he decided, he must make his mind up quickly. The manlooked very dangerous, though Max knew that appearances are verydeceptive when those who are out of their right minds are concerned. Often the very man who seems most harmless is the crafty one ready tocommit a terrible deed; while he who looks to be a veritable terror mayturn out to be a mild fellow, who would not harm an ant. 

Rapidly he ran things over in his mind. Why, evidently anyone devoid ofsense and reason had no right to be at large. While he might manage tolive through the summer, by snaring birds and catching fish, what wouldhappen to the poor fellow when the biting blasts of bitter winter sweptdown from the cold Northland!

No matter who he was, where he came from, and what his object in hidinghere might be, it were better that his presence be made known to theauthorities. Somewhere or other they must be looking for him, since eventhe helpless inmates of public institutions for the insane are objectsof concern; and one of them at large will create a reign of terror in acommunity, especially among the women. 

"I must do it!" Max was saying to himself, as he continued to watch thewretched man tear away at the food, and act as though he were a wildbeast rather than a human being, once gifted with a mind that couldreason, love, hate, and learn. 

As he had explained to his chums, when they pressed him, ere consentingthat he venture upon this night expedition alone, Max had fixed it sothat when the opportunity arrived he could fasten the door of the cabinsecurely. 

A stout log would do the business. He had examined it, yes, and eventried the effect when he placed it in a leaning position against thedoor, although declining to go inside at the time, as he did not want tobe caught in his own trap. 

It had worked splendidly, too; and once it was fixed as he meant to haveit, the lad felt positive that no single man, however powerful he mightbe, confined within the shack, could dislodge that barrier. 

It would take him only a little time, a minute or two at the most, tolift that log, and place it just where he wanted to have it. And Max wasagain pleased because he had gone through all the operation when therein daylight, since it made things so much easier now. 

So he quitted his post at the open chink, where the light filteredthrough, and which had served his purpose so well in the line ofobservation. 

It was to be hoped, in carrying out the balance of his scheme, he wouldnot make any sound that, reaching the ears of that wild-looking inmateof the cabin, would bring him flying through the doorway. Max had notthe slightest desire to come into close connection with the mysteriousunknown crazy man. And his motives in attempting the capture of theother were purely along the line of kindness. If a man is unable to lookafter himself, then it stands to reason that he ought to have attentionfrom those whom the state appoints as his guardians. 

The log was where he had left it. Max knew this, for he had made it apoint to feel for it at the time he crept close to the cabin, andlistened for sounds of any sleeper being within. 

He had to lay his gun aside, if he wished to work out his plan, for hemust use both arms, and every pound of muscle he could summon to thefore, such was the heaviness of the log. 

It was a minute of considerable suspense while Max was carrying that logforward. 

He reached the door, and nothing had happened, thank goodness. And itwas with a grateful heart that the boy presently carefully planted thelog in the position he had fixed upon as being best. 

Now one end rested against the door, which opened outwardly by goodluck; while the other dug into the ground, and was held by the end of ahuge rock that cropped up close to the surface just in that convenientspot. 

Max drew the first decent breath he had had since starting to carry outhis daring project. He believed that he had the trap so arranged nowthat escape from it was well-nigh impossible; and yet almost immediatelyhis heart seemed to jump in his throat with sudden apprehension. 

Perhaps in dropping the log into place he may have made some littlesound that reached the ears of the crazy man within the cabin. Max hearda shuffling of feet. Then the door was shaken, at first gently, and thenwith more and more violence, until the very walls of the cabin seemed toquiver under the force employed. 

Although he had been so very confident before, Max now experienced a newfeeling of acute alarm. What if the imprisoned man succeeded in breakingout of his place of confinement, would he not be raging mad in everysense of the word, and in a humor to attack the camp of the boy chums?

Max had started to grope for his gun, but as this fear sprang into beingagain, instead of doing that he stumbled over to where he knew of asecond log lying on the ground; perhaps where poor Wesley Coombs hadleft it in that long ago time, when he started to make a home in thiswild land. 

Frantically Max tugged at this larger log. Under ordinary circumstanceshe might not have been able to have more than moved the heavy treetrunk; but keyed up to a pitch of desperation by the conditions thatconfronted him, he bent himself to the task with a strength equal tothat of almost any man. 

Rolling the log along until he had brought it to just the proper pointwhere it could be best used, Max exerted himself once more, and to somepurpose. Afterwards he wondered himself how he had ever accomplishedsuch a feat, because it did look far beyond the power of a half-grownlad. But necessity compels all of us to do things that, in our calmermoments, we would call preposterous, and out of reason. 

All Max knew was that the log went up against the door, that wasquivering under the attacks of the crazy man within. 

He drew a sigh of relief when assured of this fact. Panting for breathhe stood there and listened. The walls and roof he knew were absolutelysound, which had seemed wonderful enough, considering all the years thatthe cabin had stood here unoccupied. 

It would take any man hours to dig under those logs, and burrow out, especially if he had no hatchet or knife to assist in the labor, as Maxbelieved was the case now. And long before that happened he could havehis four chums on the spot, ready to lend the assistance of their strongyoung arms in securing the escaping prisoner. 

What they should do about it, Max as yet hardly knew. This was a matterin which he felt he would like to have the advice of grave andthoughtful Owen. Four of them might keep guard over the raging madman, trying to appease him by thrusting bits of tempting food through thecracks; while the fifth fellow sped down the river in one of the canoesto bring help from Carson. 

And right then and there Max was boy enough to feel that it would besomething of a feather in their caps if, in addition to camping a wholeweek on Catamount Island, they could lay the ghost that had frightenedHerb and his friends at the time they tried to spend a single night inthe strange cabin. 

But he must not waste any more time here. Minutes were worth something, with the trap sprung, and a desperate lunatic caught. 

He must hasten back to the camp, tell his chums all that had happened, and after arming them as best could be done, they must hurry to thecabin. Max had decided that Owen ought to be the one to spin down theBig Sunflower as soon as the first peep of daylight appeared in theeast. He would not dare allow him to attempt the voyage in the densedarkness, for fear of a spill, and possible peril; since there were manycross currents, and rocks that would sink a frail canoe if struck atfull speed. 

Now the man seemed to have become quiet again. Max hoped that he hadrealized the foolishness of trying to break through the door, and thatthe lure of the stolen food had drawn him back to his feast. Helistened, and could catch just the faintest of sounds, which it wasimpossible to analyze. But above all else the anxious boy hoped that hiscaptive might not think about burrowing under the log wall, at least notfor some time yet. 

And so, having finally located his gun again, Max turned away from thecabin, meaning to retrace his course along the shore to the camp wherehis chums would be found. 

CHAPTER XV. 

UNEXPECTED ALLIES. 

It was with a feeling of thankfulness, as well as a sense ofsatisfaction, that Max Hastings started to head for the shore of theisland once more. By this time he felt that he ought to know every footof the way, after passing over it so often. And it afforded an easierpassage than by keeping straight through the dense underbrush and woods;though the crazy man seemed to prefer that course, having a possiblesecret trail of his own. 

As the island was not many acres in extent, Max expected to reach thecamp before ten minutes had elapsed, or fifteen at most. The boys wouldbe anxious to see him. Perhaps they had been sitting up inside the tentsall the time, too worried to go to sleep. If so, he wondered whetherthey had known when the wild man of the woods again entered the camp, and made way with the provisions waiting for him. 

Reaching the shore, where he could look out upon the passing river, heturned his head in the quarter whence he knew his destination lay. 

In this way then he had been going, perhaps five minutes, and all seemedwell, when he met with a sudden and disagreeable surprise. 

Something sprang upon him without the least warning. Max, althoughhorrified, and with that ferocious bobcat in mind, attempted to strugglethe best he knew how; but to his astonishment his arms were pinioned athis sides, so that he really found himself helpless to move, as he wasthrown heavily down. 

Of course he had understood before this that it was not an animal at allthat had jumped upon him, but a human being like himself. His firstthought lay in the direction of the madman whom he had left in the cabinwith the barricaded door. In some mysterious way the fellow must haveescaped, and following fast upon his heel had now accomplished hiscapture. 

And just when this awful thought was getting a grip on the mind of poorMax, he found occasion to change his opinion once more. A face had comein contact with his, and it was smooth, and destitute of the hair he hadseen straggling over the long unshaven countenance of the crazy man. 

Could Ted Shafter and his cronies have dared venture back afterreceiving that severe fright earlier in the evening? The idea seemednext door to preposterous to Max; but what other explanation could therebe to the mystery. 

"Got him safe, Jenkins?" asked a gruff voice close by; and Max realizedthat it was a question addressed to the unseen party who held him sotightly. 

"That's what I have, sir; but seems to me there's something wrong here, "replied the other party, the athletic fellow to whom Max owed histumble. 

"What d'ye mean by saying that, Jenkins?" demanded the man who seemed tobe in authority, since the second one called him "sir, " and seemed readyto obey his orders. 

"He don't feel near as big as our man; and his face, it's as smooth asmy own. I reckon we've hit on the wrong bird, Mr. Lawrence, " continuedthe man, slightly relaxing his firm grip on Max. 

"I'm sure you have, " said the boy, thinking that it was time he letthese mysterious parties know that he seriously objected to being setupon, pulled down, and roughly treated, just as though he were a commoncriminal. 

"Well, this _is_ a joke on us, sure enough, " remarked the man who gaveorders; "let him up, Jenkins; it must be one of the boys we saw throughthe glasses yesterday camped at the foot of the island. They didn't goback home after all, as we believed, when we came back here with a boatthis evening. That must have been another lot we heard coming down theriver. "

Max began to grasp things now. From these words he knew that these twomen must be the same whom Steve had seen watching the island on the daybefore, and who had appeared to go away _up_ the river. They must havecircled around, so as to finally reach Carson, where they heard certainthings that had sent them up again, this time in a boat, late theafternoon before. 

And hearing the splash of oars as Ted and his cronies hurried back totown, they had believed that the boys were those whom they had seencamped at the lower end of the island. Doubtless they even suspectedthat Max and his chums might have been also frightened off by the samewild-looking man who had appeared to Herb Benson weeks ago. 

"Who are you, and what are you looking for over here on CatamountIsland?" Max now asked, boldly, feeling pretty sure he could give a goodguess, even before the other spoke a word in explanation. 

The crackle of a match told him that the leader of the couple wished totake a look at him, so as to be satisfied. And when the little piece ofwood flared up, Max was able to see that both men were, as Steve haddeclared, dressed in gray uniforms, that were decorated with the brassbuttons of authority. 

"Well, it _is_ a boy, as sure as anything, Jenkins, " remarked the man, who wore a short-pointed beard, and had a keen face, as though he mightbe in the habit of dealing with charges who required constant vigilance. "Now, I hope my assistant didn't hurt you much when he jumped you, following my orders, when he heard you coming?"

Now, Max did feel a trifle sore, where he had struck the ground with thesaid Jenkins on top of him; and doubtless the feeling would be stillmore pronounced by another day. But then he was too proud to confess toany such small thing. 

"Nothing to mention, sir, " he remarked, just as though it were a commonthing to have people wallow all over him, as though they were playingtackle in a football struggle. "But are you looking for a lunatic?"

"Hello! Do you mean to say you can put us on the track of one?" demandedthe man who had been called Mr. Lawrence by his assistant. 

"A rather big man, with a shock of white hair, and staring eyes; a mandressed in a faded suit of brown, and wearing an old blue flannelshirt?" Max went on. 

He could not see the men now, because the match had long since gone out;but it was evident that they were delighted to hear him talk in the wayhe did. 

"You've described him to a dot, my lad, " remarked the gentleman; "onlyhis hair was cut fairly short, and his face smooth, when he broke loosefrom the asylum, now two months back, and disappeared. Such a job Inever before struck. We've been on twenty different trails, and everyoneturned out false. And we were about to give it up, when I rememberedthat long ago he had lived in this section of the country; and the ideacame to me that perhaps even a crazy man might remember places. So wecame up here to look at the island, only to find a party of boys campedon it; and that seemed to indicate a crazy man could not be anywherenear them. But down in Carson I heard a story from a boy about awild-looking creature that had frightened himself and his friends nearlyto death up here on the island; so, not knowing what else to do, Jenkinsand myself got a boat and came back, meaning to explore the place in thenight time, as well as by daylight. We intended going back home andgiving it all up as a bad job, if this last hope failed, and we didn'tlocate old Coombs in the place he once lived, they told me. "

Max uttered a cry. 

"What was that name you spoke, sir?" he asked. 

"Why, the name of the lunatic that broke out, and has given us all thischase over the blessed country; Wesley Coombs his full name is. Have youheard of him, my boy?" replied the warden of the asylum. 

"Oh, yes, and to think that when he escaped, after being confined for somany years, the poor man turned back here to the last place he had livedwhen he had a wife and child. They were both drowned in a freshet. Iunderstood he had gone, too; but he must have been taken to the lunaticasylum instead, poor fellow. "

Max was feeling very sad as the truth broke in upon him after thisfashion. To think that Wesley Coombs had been alive all these years;restrained of his liberty. And how pathetic it was to know that when hefinally found an opportunity to get away, he had, through some queerfreak of fate, come back to this island of the Big Sunflower, where hehad brought his young wife and child years ago, and which stillremained, the one remembrance of the past in his poor dulled mind!

"Is he here now on the island?" asked Mr. Lawrence, eagerly. 

Perhaps Wesley Coombs was a person of very little importance in himself;but he had been sought for so long that his recapture would bringconsiderable satisfaction along with it. 

"To the best of my knowledge and belief, he is, " replied Max, chucklingto think how he was in a condition to know, and enjoying the prospect ofspringing a surprise upon the two wardens of the asylum. 

"Then you've seen him?" continued the head keeper. 

"I certainly have, sir, or I couldn't have described him very well, " Maxwent on, not too anxious to make his disclosure; for he thought he oughtto enjoy the situation a little, after experiencing that rough tumble. 

"Can you take us to where we can find him?" next asked the warden. 

"Inside of five minutes, sir. I was just on the way to get the rest ofmy chums, and then send for assistance, because I've caught the crazyman in a trap!"

"A trap! D'ye hear that, Jenkins? This lad has been able to do what youand I would have given a lot to accomplish. What sort of a trap, wouldyou mind telling us, young man?" continued Mr. Lawrence, with morerespect in his voice than at any time previous. 

"In his old log cabin, sir, " Max replied, "where once upon a time heused to live. He has been sleeping there every night, but hiding in thethick jungle during the day. Several times now he's gone and raided ourcamp for provisions, which he would take to the cabin, and eat up. So Ifixed it for him to get something more to-night, while I waited up here, ready to fasten the door of the cabin with a log. "

"Well, that sounds clever of you, I must say, " remarked the other, admiration in his voice, "and the trap worked, did it?"

"He came along, and he walked into the cabin. Somehow he must havesecured a supply of matches, for he has been having fires there, sir;and he lighted a splinter of wood when he came in to-night. I peepedthrough a chink and saw him for the first time. He gave me a chill, Itell you. You see, we got the idea in our heads that it was an escapedconvict hiding out on the island; but none of us ever thought of a crazyman, and poor old Wesley Coombs at that. "

"After he went in you fastened the door, did you?" the other asked. 

"I had a heavy log handy, and this I propped up against the door, so nosingle man could ever push it open. But because he threw himself againstit so hard I dragged a second one over to back up the first. And now, sir, I'm sure he can't get out of that cabin unless he takes toburrowing under the logs; which would take him hours; for he had noknife, and the earth is as hard as stone there. "

"Well done, my lad. Allow me to thank you for the great help you havegiven us, and to congratulate you as well. Shake hands, won't you, please, " and this Max did with all the sincerity in the world. 

"And I sure hope you don't hold any grudge against me, young feller, because I bumped your head when I took you in?" remarked Jenkins, as he, too, brushed up, and felt for the hand of the boy in the darkness. 

"Why, of course not, " replied Max, giving an unseen grimace as hisbruised side hurt him just then. "You were only doing what you thoughtwas your duty; and, after seeing that wild man, I can understand that hemust be strong as an ox, and I suppose violent, too. "

"Oh, no, not a bit, " declared Mr. Lawrence; "that is, he's never been soin the past. No keeper ever had the least trouble with old Coombs. Theyall liked him, because he was so gentle and tractable. But would youmind taking us to that cabin now, young fellow!"

"I wish you'd go with me down to our camp first, " said Max. 

"To be sure we will, and it's a very little favor to ask after doing ussuch a good turn; but what's the idea, my boy?" asked the head warden, cheerfully. 

"My name is Max Hastings, " replied the boy, who did not just fancy beingcalled "my boy" and "young fellow" any too much. "You see, I wanted tohave my four chums on hand at the time you opened the door, and securedpoor old Wesley Coombs. We can get back there in a jiffy, and they'd beever so much obliged for the chance of seeing how the last thingworked. "

"Well, it seems to be your game all along, Max, since we don't even knowwhere this strange old cabin, that we've been hearing so much aboutlately, is located. So, as you promise to lead us back there with aslittle delay as possible, certainly we'll go with you. And the sooner westart, the quicker we can be back again. "

That was a hint from Mr. Lawrence that Max could not ignore. There waslogic and a world of truth back of it, too. 

"Come on then, please, sir; the going is better close to the shore line;and that's the way I came up. "

With that he started, the others trailing along in his wake. And Maxchuckled to himself more than a few times while thus drawing nearer andnearer to the camp, where a great surprise awaited his chums. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE LAST CAMP FIRE ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND. 

"Hello! In camp, there, ahoy! Show a head!"

That was the way Max shouted, as he broke into the circle of light castby the camp fire, none too good just then, on account of lack ofattention. 

Instantly several heads appeared in view, two at each tent flap, to beexact. 

"It's Max, all right!" shouted Steve. 

"And, say, what's this he's gone and brought back with him, fellers?"cried Bandy-legs, staring in surprise at the two men, with their grayuniforms and brass buttons of authority. 

The four boys now came creeping forth. And when he saw that all of themwere fully dressed, Max knew that sleep could hardly have visited thecamp during his long absence. 

"These are my chums, gentlemen, " remarked Max, as he bent a smiling faceon the staring quartette. "The one on the right is my cousin, OwenHastings; next to him comes Toby Jucklin; then this boy is Bandy-legsGriffin, who is much better than he looks; and the last of all is SteveDowdy, or 'Touch-and-go Steve' we call him. And this gentleman is Mr. Lawrence, while his assistant is Jenkins. "

"From the penitentiary, of course; I can see the uniform?" remarkedSteve. 

"Wrong again, old fellow, " laughed Max. "They happen to be wardens fromthe State Asylum for the Insane!"

"What?" gasped Steve. "Ain't they looking for a desperate escaped jailbird?"

"Not at all, but an escaped lunatic; a man who got away some monthsback, and has kept hidden ever since here on this island, while they'vebeen searching all over for him. And, fellows, you'll be surprised asmuch as I was when you hear who the poor chap really is we've beenfeeding with our ham and other grub. Steve, remember what you heard yourfather say about the man who once started to make his home on CatamountIsland; but the flood came and upset his plans?"

"Say, do you mean Wesley Coombs?" demanded Steve, quickly. 

"Yes, " replied Max. "Well, you got things a little mixed there. He losthis wife and baby in the freshet, but he was saved, though his mind wasalways a blank; and all these years the poor fellow has been shut up inthe lunatic asylum. He managed to escape a while ago, and seems to havebeen drawn back here to the place where he was last happy. And nowthey've come after him to take him back, for he'd he frozen to death, orstarve, if left loose here winter times. "

"But can they get him, d'ye think?" asked Steve. 

"Oh, that's dead easy for them, " returned the other, trying to keep fromdisplaying anything like pride in his voice or manner. "You see I've gothim shut up in the old cabin right now. We only came down here to getyou fellows, and then these gentlemen want to hike back there to makethe capture. "

"Whoop! It takes Max to do big things!" shouted Steve. 

"He never bites off more'n he can chaw!" asserted Bandy-legs, appearingto be supremely happy over the improved prospect of things. 

"I'm rather inclined to agree with you, boys, " remarked the head warden. "Max has certainly done himself proud on this special occasion; andwe're placed under a heavy debt of gratitude to him. But if you'reready, boys, we might as well make a start. The sooner we have our manin custody, the easier we'll feel. He's given us such a long chase thatit'll be good to know we can bring him back to his old quarters, wherehe seemed fully contented until the chance came to skip. None of 'em canever let that pass by, no matter how satisfied they are. It's a part ofthe disease, the doctors tell us. "

So they started forth, taking both lanterns with them so that they mighthave plenty of light along the way. Not one of the boys felt theslightest alarm about leaving the camp unprotected now; especially afterMax had described how he gave Ted Shafter and his cronies such a goodscare. 

"We saw the flash, Max, " remarked Owen, "just when we were thinking ofgetting under cover, like you suggested. And we heard the yells, too. All of us thought we recognized the voice of Ted, and we had a prettygood guess coming that you'd given 'em something to remember. "

"Say, " remarked Steve, laughingly, "when they went shooting past thelower end of the island as fast as they could row, they were chatteringlike a lot of old crows. We kept as mum as oysters, and let the lot go. It was a good riddance of bad rubbish anyhow, and we didn't want to hold'em back for one minute. "

The return journey was easily accomplished, with Max to lead the way, swinging one of the lighted lanterns in his hand. 

As they left the shore and headed in toward the place where the oldcabin stood, all of them were listening to ascertain whether the inmatewere beating against the fast door, and perhaps shrieking as only amadman might. 

But all seemed very quiet. 

"Chances are he's digging a tunnel under the wall, like you said hemight, Max, " suggested Steve. 

"Well, he's in there safe and sound, anyhow, " replied Max, in asatisfied tone. 

After reaching the cabin the head warden went up to the door, and, withthe help of the others, threw both logs down. 

"Hello, in there, Wesley Coombs, this is Warden Lawrence, come to takeyou back to your comfortable quarters at the palace. "

With that he threw open the door, and lantern in hand stalked in. Thewild man was sitting there on the hard earthen floor, and engaged incalmly eating. He merely glanced up as they entered, and paid no furtherattention to them, which rather pleased Max, for he had feared aterrible struggle, and secretly deep down in his heart felt a great pityfor poor old Wesley Coombs. 

The crazy man seemed to recognize the badge of authority in the uniformsof the two wardens, for he obeyed their slightest orders without theleast hesitation. But Max was pleased to see that there did not seem tobe cringing fear in connection with this obedience, such as would ratherindicate that he might have been badly used at times in the past by menwearing these same uniforms. 

They all went back to the camp; and since sleep seemed next toimpossible, after such exciting times, they just sat around talking. Thetwo wardens proved very pleasant fellows indeed; and declared that thecup of coffee which was brewed for them was nectar, "ambrosia, " Mr. Lawrence called it. 

When morning came the wardens took their prisoner away. Poor WesleyCoombs seemed to cast one last pitiful glance back at the island ere hepassed from the sight of the youthful campers. No doubt he was safelyreturned to the asylum; for some time later Max received a verycourteous letter from the superintendent in charge of the institution, thanking him and his friends very warmly for the aid they had given thewardens in effecting the recapture of the escaped lunatic, But it wouldalways give Max a queer little feeling of pain deep down in the regionof his heart every time he thought of the wild man of Catamount Island, and what a sad memory of the dim past it had been that drew him backthere after so many years of blankness had ensued. 

Now the balance of their stay on the island partook more of the natureof a picnic than anything else. With the passing of the supposed "ghost"of the strange cabin, there no longer remained anything to disturb theirpeace of mind. Ted Shafter and his crowd would certainly give the placea wide berth from that time out; and with reasonable precaution the boysneed not fear contact with any wild-cat or poisonous snake while stayingthere. 

On the last morning of their camping experience, while they werebeginning to dismantle the tents, and prepare for loading the canoes, quite a flotilla hove in sight down the river, there being three boats, each rowed by a couple of weary boys. 

It turned out to be Herb Benson and some of his friends, who had startedfrom Carson very early in the morning, and had just been able to makethe island before noon. Of course it was mostly curiosity to see whetherMax and his chums had really spent the whole week on the island that hadbrought them up. 

But enough provisions remained to give the entire crowd a dinner; andfeeling refreshed after this, they were ready to start back with thecurrent, a much easier task than butting against it. 

Sitting there, and enjoying the hospitality of the five campers, Herband his friends listened to an account of the many things that hadhappened. And how their eyes did distend with wonder and interest whenthey heard all about the wild man of the strange cabin of the island, whose sudden appearance at the time the others occupied that shack haddriven them away in mad haste. 

They frankly admitted that Max and the rest possessed more grit thanthey had given them credit for, and that the little wager had beendecided in their favor. After all, our five boys had enjoyed the outingmore than words could tell; and were then, one and all declared, readyto repeat the experience at the earliest possible opportunity. 

That time was closer at hand than any of them suspected when speaking oftheir desire to again get together under cover of the tents. 

They made the return trip in pretty fast time, the canoes gliding alongas if drawn by unseen hands, as the paddles flashed in the light of thewestering sun. It had been a week of many surprises, and not a fewthrills, that would haunt them for a long time to come. And among allthe other things for which they believed they had reason to be thankful, that little episode in connection with the Shafter crowd stood outprominently. No doubt, in time, the fellows would learn what it was thathad given them such a grand scare; and they would also try to make outthat they guessed it all along, and had only fled because their presencehad become known; but Max would only smile if he heard that. He wouldnever forget the cries of genuine alarm that had gone up from that boat, when the awful glare suddenly burst out from the bushes of the hauntedisland. 

Of course, one of the first things done after reaching town was to handthe cedar canoe over to the local boat builder, and have him put a newgarboard streak in the bottom, to take the place of the defective one, which had been bored through and then artfully plugged, in such a waythat it would not be noticed, yet must work loose at some time perhapswhen far up the river, as we know it did. 

They never really found out just who was guilty of such a mean act; butfelt positive that it could originate in no other brain but that of TedShafter, even if actually committed by his shadow, Shack Beggs. 

The boathouse was soon improved, and made so strong that the boys feltthey could defy such conspirators; for they hardly believed Ted wasready to set fire to a building, and take the chances of being sent awayto a reform school, in order to get square with some of those boys hehated bitterly. 

That his enmity would endure, and give Max and his chums further causefor anxiety, all those who knew the stubborn nature of the Carson bullyfelt convinced. 

What befell the five chums on another outing trip which soon followedthe camp on Catamount Island, with many thrilling adventures, and amystery in the bargain, will be found recorded in the pages of the nextstory in the "Camp Fire and Trail Series, " entitled "Lost in the GreatDismal Swamp. "

THE END.