"I know several such spots, my lad."

"Several!" came from all of the Rover boys.

"Yes, several. You see the ground around the pond is marshy, and the heavy rains cut all sorts of gullies here and there, so the pond empties into the river, now, at five or six p'ints."

"Are these points very far apart?" asked Sam, in dismay. "You see, I'm very anxious we should know the exact particulars."

"Indeed!" John Barrow looked at them curiously. "Say, I reckon I know what you are after!" he burst out suddenly.

"What?" came from the three.

"You're on a hunt for old Goupert's treasure."

"Why, what do you know about that?" demanded d.i.c.k. He remembered that the writing on the map said, "Beware of Goupert's ghost."

"Oh, that's an old yarn about here, and at different times we've had more'n a hundred folks a-hunting around for that old Frenchman's money box, but n.o.body ever got so much as a smell o' it."

"Who was Goupert?" asked Tom.

"Goupert was a thoroughly bad man, who lived sixty or seventy years ago.

The story goes that he used to be a smuggler and that he came here when the authorities chased him off the Great Lakes. He had lots o' money, but he was a miser, and a queer stick to boot. He built himself a cabin on Bear Pond, and lived there all alone for two years. Then some lake men came down here, and one night there was a big row and the lake men disappeared. Goupert couldn't be found at first, but about a month later some hunters discovered his dead body tied to a tree in the woods, not far from the spot you asked about. He had been left to starve to death.

The story was that the lake men had starved him in order to get him to tell where he had hidden his money box, and that old Goupert was too much o' a miser to let the secret out. So folks begun to hunt for that money box high an' low, but never got a smell o' it, as I said."

"Did you ever hunt for the money?" questioned d.i.c.k.

"No, I never had no time to waste. So you really came up on that account?"

"We came up on that account, and also to have a good time in the mountains," said d.i.c.k, before Sam or Tom could speak. "But, Mr. Barrow, I wish you wouldn't mention this to the other folks around here. They might laugh at us for coming on what they think is a wild-goose chase."

"Oh, I won't say a word on it--if you want it that way."

"Did this Goupert leave any relatives?" asked Sam.

"No, lad, not a soul."

"Then if we should find that treasure it would belong to us," put in Tom.

"Every penny on it, lad. But don't raise any high hopes, or you may be sorely disapp'inted."

"Oh, I came for a good time," replied Tom, in an off-handed a manner as possible.

Presently John Barrow had to get out of the wagon to fix something on the harness. While he was doing this d.i.c.k leaned over to his two brothers.

"Don't say anything about the map to anybody," he whispered. "We'll keep that a secret for the present." And Tom and Sam nodded, to show that they understood.

The ride to John Barrow's house soon came to an end, and as the boys alighted at the horseblock the door opened and Nellie and Grace Laning appeared.

"How do you do, Tom!" cried Nellie, as she ran and caught him by the hand, while Grace did the same to Sam. "We're awfully glad to see you, and to see d.i.c.k and Sam, too," and a hand-shaking all around followed.

Then Mrs. Barrow, a motherly woman, was introduced and also her daughter Addie, who was Nellie's age, and full of fun.

"Come right in, boys," said Mrs. Barrow. "Supper is waiting, and I'm sure you must be hungry."

"Hungry doesn't describe it," said Tom. "I could eat sole leather. Phew!

what an appet.i.te riding in this mountain air does give a fellow!"

"Can you ever remember the time when you wasn't without an appet.i.te, Tom?" asked Nellie Laning, with a laugh.

"Never go so far into ancient history," he returned solemnly, and a general laugh followed.

Soon their outfit was safely housed in the barn, and then they entered the house, where the long supper table, filled with good things, awaited them. All three of the girls insisted upon waiting on the boys, and it proved as jolly a meal as they had ever eaten. They lingered for an hour at the table, talking and cracking nuts, and during that time the Rover boys became thoroughly acquainted with the Barrow family.

"Oh, I've heard lots about you!" said Addie Barrow. "Nellie has told me great, long stories about Tom's bravery, and Grace has told me all about Sam's doings, and both of them have told about you, d.i.c.k----"

"Now, do be still, Addie!" put in Nellie Laning. "I declare, I never said a word!"

"Oh! A word! Why, you kept me awake one night for over an hour telling about how Tom----"

"Let's have a song," broke in Sam. "I see an organ in the next room and some music. You must play," he added, to Addie.

"She plays beautifully," put in Grace, thankful for the change of subject. "Addie, give them that new song, 'I'm Sorry, Oh, So Sorry!'"

"All right," answered the young lady of the house, and sitting down at the organ she ran her hands over the keys and started the song. She could sing and play well, and all joined in the chorus. The music was kept up for over an hour, and then the Rover boys retired, highly pleased over their reception.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE START UP THE RIVER.

"If it wasn't for finding that treasure box I'd just as lief stay here for a few days," remarked Tom, on getting up the following morning.

"Ditto myself," came from Sam. "We could have a boss good time, eh?"

"How about it if Nellie and Grace weren't here?" came from d.i.c.k, and then dodged a shoe thrown at him by Tom and a pillow sent forth by Sam.

"No, boys, it won't do--we must leave for the hunt to-day. Why, there may be a million in it."

"That's right, d.i.c.k; when you fly, fly high," said Tom. "That Frenchman never had a million. If he had a couple of thousand he'd be lucky."

"And of course, a couple of thousand is of no importance to us," put in Sam grandiloquently.

"All right; I'll go on the hunt alone."

"No, d.i.c.k, of course we'll go," said Tom hastily. "When do you want to start?"

"As soon as Mr. Barrow can get off."