Part 5 (1/2)
”I'd like to spoil the trip for them.”
”So would I. Maybe we can do it too, if we watch our chances.”
The two talked the matter over for some time and when they separated it was with the fixed determination to play some underhanded trick and do ”the Dodge crowd,” as they called our friends much harm.
All of the boys who attended the local school had been waiting impatiently to learn when the present session would come to an end.
Now it was announced that school would close the following Friday afternoon and remain shut up for three weeks and a half.
”Hurrah! that will give us just time enough for a dandy outing!” cried Whopper.
”You'll have to kill a bear a day to make up the number you said you'd bring down,” answered, Giant.
”Pooh! I never kill bears singly,” sniffed Whopper. ”I always kill them in pairs or by the half dozen.”
”We've got to make sure that we can go first,” said Shep. ”Remember the school averages.”
They did remember, and all were very anxious concerning the examinations to come off before the term closed. They studied hard, and came out with an average of eight-eight to ninety-four per cent.
”Good!” said Snap. ”Our folks can't find fault with such records.” And n.o.body did find fault. On the contrary, the boys received not a little praise, and permission to go on the winter outing was readily granted.
”Let us start next Monday,” said Giant, who was impatient to get away.
”I doubt if we can get ready so quickly,” answered Shep. ”There is a good deal to do, you know.”
”Then make it Tuesday,” pleaded Giant.
”The ice on the river is perfect, so it will be the easiest thing in the world to skate to the lake and drag our sleds after us.”
It had already been decided that they should go into camp at Firefly Lake, where they had left their summer shelter only a few months before. Firefly Lake was a beautiful sheet of water, or ice, located a mile from Lake Cameron, and about eleven miles from Fairview. To get to this spot they had to go to Lake Cameron first and then along a narrow watercourse which united the two sheets of water.
The news quickly spread through the town that the Gun Club was going away on another outing, and many envied our friends their coming pleasures. Ham Spink and Carl Rudder looked sour over the prospects.
”Where are they going?” asked Carl.
”To Firefly Lake, to their old camp.”
After this announcement both boys looked at each other suggestively.
”It will be moonlight to-night, and we can easily skate twenty or twenty-five miles,” suggested Ham.
”So we can, Ham. Let us do it, and--_fix things_.”
”We will,” said Ham firmly.
As soon as it was settled that our friends were to go away before Christmas, and remain away over the holidays, they received from their parents several gifts in advance. All obtained snowshoes--picked out for them by their old hunter friend, Jed Sanborn--and they also procured an extra gun, an extra sled, and some warm camp blankets.
They still possessed their old camp outfit and so it was an easy matter to gather the things together and get everything ready for the start. The outfit was packed upon two good-sized sleds and well fastened.
”I suppose we ought to have skated up to the camp and inspected things,” observed Snap. ”But I have been too busy to do so.”