Part 7 (1/2)

While Jack and Pepper were getting the fish ready, Rand brought the stove fro, and the pan hot by the time Pepper came with the first installood,” called Jack a little later when the frying fish, under Rand's skillful an to send forth savory odors ”You can sure cook, Rand”

”Ah done reckon dat am a fac', foh shuah,” said Rand

”Hurry up, Rand,” broke in Pepper ”I can't wait er”

”All ready, sah,” called Rand ”De passing on the river attracted attention, and the boys all walked a few paces toward the water

At this instant, as their backs were turned, a boy ran swiftly from a nearby clump of bushes, snatched the pan fro the latter as he did so, and silently dashed back into the woods

It was done so quickly and adroitly that Pepper, as the first to catch sight of hioes Monkey Rae, and he has got our fish”

”What is it?” asked Rand in bewilderment

”Monkey Rae,” cried Pepper; ”he's stolen our fish!+ Cos!” exclaimed Rand, ”that takes the cake”

”I t-t-think it takes t-t-the fish,” amended Pepper, as he dashed away

The boys set out at once in pursuit of the thief, but he had too long a start, and perhaps, sogled back to the boat without having found any trace of hiru at the overturned stove ”The oil has all run out and we can't cook any looainst Monkey Rae, the others could not help laughing

CHAPTER VII

THE COLONEL

”What's the matter, boys?” said a cheery voice behind thelance of a lade

He was tall, erect, and ofQuick and alert, in spite of his snohite hair and mustache

”Why, Colonel Snow!” cried Jack in astonishment; ”where did you coo as you were co ashore,” replied the colonel, ”and I walked down toan attack?”

”Looks that way,” answered Rand ”Monkey Rae made a raid on the commissary and carried off the fish we had cooked”

”That's nothing to be concerned over,” continued the colonel ”Why don't you cook some more?”

”Can't,” replied Pepper, ”he upset the stove and spilled all the oil we had”

”Stove!” ejaculated the colonel in scorn ”What do you ith a stove?”