Part 20 (1/2)
”Yes.”
”Then you are on the wrong road to get to that place,” said the man.
”You'll have to go back the way we came for about half a mile, and then take the road to the left. It is in from this road, I think, about a quarter of a mile.”
”Is it the first road we shall come to from here?” questioned Gif, bound to fix matters so that he could not make another mistake.
”Yes.”
”Thank you. That is all we want to know.”
”What are you young fellows going to do at that place?” queried the German who was on the front seat.
”We came up here for a season of hunting,” answered Jack.
”The place belongs to my father and my uncle,” explained Gif. ”My name is Gifford Garrison.”
”I see. Well, have a good time,” said the man on the front seat of the sleigh. But he did not seem to be particularly pleased.
”Have you a hunting lodge around here?” questioned Fred curiously.
”No. We are just taking a little trip to visit some friends up here,”
answered the man on the back seat who previously had not spoken. ”We shall stay only a day or two,” he added. Then the man on the front seat spoke to the driver, and away they went once more, and were soon out of sight, taking the road the cadets had just been thinking of pursuing.
”Well, I'm mighty glad we met those men,” declared Gif. ”Now I know where I am. Thank goodness! we are not so very far out of the way after all.”
”Don't crow, Gif, until you are out of the woods--or at least until we are in sight of the Lodge,” cried Andy.
”I didn't like the looks of those fellows,” declared Jack.
”They were a bunch of Germans, and not very nice Germans at that,” said Fred.
”Isn't it queer that we are running into so many Germans?” remarked Spouter. ”First that Herman Crouse on the train, and now these chaps.”
”Oh, hurry up, fellows! Don't stand here and gas!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Randy.
”Let's see if we can't find that lost Lodge. I want to get warmed up, and I want to go to bed.”
Then the boxsled was turned around once more and the journey to Cedar Lodge was resumed.
CHAPTER XIV
THE FIRST HUNT
The six cadets from Colby Hall found the side road the Germans had mentioned with ease; and after that it was not long before they came to a spot which looked familiar to Gif.
”Thank fortune! we're on the right road at last,” cried the young driver of the boxsled. ”See those peculiar trees over there?” He pointed to three all growing together. ”I know those very well. We ought to come in sight of the Lodge now in a few minutes.”
”Well, you can't get there any too quick for me,” declared Fred, as he gave a deep yawn.