"I'll certainly do that, Jack." And later on Mrs. Tom Rover and Mrs. Sam Rover promised to do the same thing.

"There is no telling what may happen to our dads if they get into a regular first-cla.s.s battle," remarked Fred, that night when the four boys were holding a little conference among themselves.

"Well, we've got to take what comes," returned Randy briefly. "However, I'll be as much worried as ma until this war is at an end or until our dads come home."

The boys had looked over their traps with care and examined their rifles and shotguns, and had even gone down into the cellar of one of their residences to try out the weapons to make certain that they were in working order.

With a shotgun in his hand Andy wanted to have some fun with one of the servant girls, but Randy quickly stopped him.

"Nothing doing, Andy," he said. "You'll only make ma nervous, and she is nervous enough already, thinking about dad. You save your tomfoolery until we are on the way or up at the camp."

At length came the time for the boys to take their departure. Jack hated to think of running away from Ruth, and Fred was equally sorry to leave May Powell behind, yet the thought of what was ahead brightened all of the lads considerably.

"We ought to have the time of our lives," declared Fred. "That is, if hunting is half as good as Gif Garrison said it was."

"And if I can get that silver fox," added Jack.

"Nothing but a moose for me," declared Randy. "Either a moose or a six-legged jack rabbit."

"Wouldn't you like to shoot a bear that weighed about a thousand pounds?" questioned Jack.

"And lug the carca.s.s to camp yourself?" came from Fred.

"Speaking about carrying a thousand-pound bear puts me in mind of something," cried Randy quickly. "A fellow was telling me of a man here in the city who carried twelve hundred pounds."

"Twelve hundred pounds!" exclaimed his twin. "It can't be done."

"Why, that's more than a half a ton!" said Jack incredulously.

"Never mind, the fellow carried the twelve hundred pounds," went on Randy. "A whole lot of people saw him do it."

"Where was this?" questioned Fred.

"It was down at one of the Broadway banks," answered Randy innocently.

"The fellow was an English army officer. He had twelve hundred pounds in English money that he was exchanging for good old U. S. A. coin."

"Fooled!" cried Fred, and this was followed by a general laugh.

CHAPTER IX

THE RAILROAD ACCIDENT

The four Rover boys journeyed from New York City to Baxton and there changed from one station to another nearby and took the next train for Portview.

Arriving in Portview they took a taxicab to the leading hotel, and were there met by Gif and Spouter, who had come in a few hours earlier and had already signed for their accommodations.

"Mighty glad to see you got here," declared Gif. "I read about the awful storm you had down around New York, and I thought you might be delayed."

"Well, I see they have had some of the snow up here," answered Jack.

"Although it isn't as heavy as it was down our way."

"Don't worry about snow, Jack. You'll get all you want of it after we reach Cedar Lodge."

The Rover boys were tired out from their all-day trip, and as Gif and Spouter had likewise had their fill of traveling for the time being, all were glad enough to retire for a good night's rest, even Andy being too worn out to play any of his jokes. But the following morning found the youths as bright and fresh as ever and eager to continue their journey.

"We can get a train for Timminsport at ten-thirty," announced Gif. "That will give us plenty of time for breakfast and to do a little shopping if we need anything. Portview has as good stores as many big towns. When you get to Timminsport, you will find it nothing but a one-horse country town."

They had a substantial breakfast, and then wandered down the main street as far as a small park, and then came back on the other side of the thoroughfare. They made a number of small purchases, including some cakes of choice chocolate and a bag of almonds, of which Spouter and Randy were particularly fond.

"When we get to Timminsport don't forget to add a good big bag of sugar to our stores," said Randy. "Then, if we are snowed in sometime, we can spend a few hours making some home-made candy."

"Yes, and we can try our hands at some cookies," added Fred. "I've watched our cook make them quite a few times, and I think I could make some myself if I tried real hard."

"Anyway, you might be able to turn out some sinkers," said Andy, with a grin. "And if we couldn't eat 'em we could take 'em back to Colby Hall and present 'em to some of the teachers for paperweights." And at this there was a laugh.

With the bundles the boys returned to the hotel, paid their bill, and with their suitcases in hand, returned once more to the depot. Here in the smoky trainshed the cars were already waiting, and they climbed aboard; and a few minutes later were on their way to Timminsport.

The coast in this vicinity is very irregular, so that the train did not run close to the sh.o.r.e. They skirted a bay, and then branched off at a small place called Leeways for the town for which they were bound. At Leeways they met several heavy lumber trains, and also met a gang of men bound for one of the lumber camps.

"We are certainly getting away from the big towns now," remarked Fred.

"I just saw a few hunters with their guns!" cried Randy. "That looks interesting to me!"

There was no diner on the train, but around noon it stopped at a way-station where there was a lunch counter, and here the young travelers had ten minutes in which to satisfy their appet.i.tes.

"Maybe we'd better take a few sandwiches along," remarked Jack. "We may not have another chance to eat until we get to the Lodge."

"Oh, there is a little restaurant at Timminsport," declared Gif. "It's not a very nice place, but we'll be able to get as much as we want there."

Soon the train was on its way again, having backed up at Leeways to drop a pa.s.senger car and take on one of mixed freight. The character of the pa.s.sengers had largely changed, and most of them were now country folks, lumberjacks, and city people bound for a season of hunting. The steam heat had died out in the car which the boys occupied, and it was growing colder and colder.

"The train doesn't go any farther than Timminsport," explained Gif, "and I suppose the engineer is saving on steam."

"Say, Gif, I didn't think you were going to give us such a cold reception!" cried Randy.

"Never mind the cold reception!" exclaimed Spouter, who was gazing out of the window at the scenery. "Just look at this truly wonderful picture! See those hillsides with ma.s.sive pines, and those cl.u.s.ters of bushes, all bent down with their weight of snow. And see how the sunshine sparkles, making each snowdrop look like a diamond. It's a wonderful sight, and it fills one's soul with a feeling of awe and admiration for--"

"Hurrah! Spouter has come into his own again," cried Andy. "That's right, Spout, warm up good, and maybe you'll help warm this car."

"If those snowdrops were really diamonds, Spouter, what do you thing they'd be worth a dozen?" came from Randy.

"Aw, that's just like you fellows!" grumbled the would-be orator, in disgust. "You haven't any poetry in your souls."

"Haven't any poetry in my soul?" cried Andy. "You bet I have--tons and tons of it! Just listen to this," and he chanted gayly: