"You've got to promise to be good and not throw cold water on our hopes," announced Jack. "We're going to have the best time ever on Snowshoe Island. And not a thing is going to happen to mar our pleasure."

But in this last surmise the oldest Rover boy was sadly mistaken. Many things of which he and his cousins did not dream were to occur, not only to startle and annoy them, but also to place them in extreme peril.

CHAPTER XX

CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM

"Next station stop Rockville!"

"That's our jumping off place, boys! We had better get our baggage together!" exclaimed Jack.

"I wonder if Barney Stevenson will be at the station to meet us?"

questioned Fred.

"That depends on whether he got my last message or not," answered Jack.

"However, if he isn't there, I guess we can find our way to Snowshoe Island alone."

Soon the long train rolled into the little station at Rockville, and the boys alighted, being a.s.sisted by the porter, who had already taken charge of their baggage. He readily accepted the tip they gave him, and, as he had learned that they were off on a little hunting tour, said he hoped they would have every success.

"But don't you bring down too many lions and elephants," added the colored man.

"No, we'll leave the lions and elephants for you," returned Andy, and this made the porter grin broadly, showing two rows of white ivories.

"h.e.l.lo, boys! So you've got here at last, eh?" cried a voice from the doorway of the railroad station, and old Barney Stevenson strode toward them. He looked the picture of health, having recovered entirely from the accident in the woods. He shook hands cordially, giving each hand a squeeze that made the recipient wince.

"We're glad to see you, Mr. Stevenson," began Fred, when up went the old lumberman's hand in protest.

"'Twon't do, boys! 'Twon't do at all! If you're going to come over to Snowshoe Island with me, you've got to drop that Mister business. Plain Uncle Barney is good enough for me."

"All right, then! Uncle Barney it is!" answered Fred, and the others smiled and nodded.

"I just got your message this noon," explained the old lumberman. "Billy Sanders, the station agent's son, brought it over to me. I see you've got your duffle with you," and he looked at their various bags.

"We didn't bring anything along in the way of provisions," answered Randy. "We thought we could buy all those things here in town."

"So you can--providing you've got the money, lad;" and Uncle Barney smiled.

"Oh, we've got the money!" answered Andy. "Our folks treated us very handsomely."

"I brought over my big bobsled," went on the old lumberman. "Come ahead--I'll help you carry your baggage. We can leave it all at Crumpers' boathouse until we get the other stuff."

He led the way, and they soon found themselves at the boathouse he had mentioned. Here they placed their traveling bags on Uncle Barney's bobsled, and then made their way to a nearby general store, where the old fellow was well known.

"We've got a list written out here," explained Jack, bringing it forth.

"I'll read it to you, and then you can tell me what you think of it."

The list was quite a long one, and the old lumberman listened attentively as Jack read it over. Then he nodded approvingly.

"You've got it about right, boys," he said. "You must have been out before."

"My dad helped me make out this list," explained d.i.c.k. "He and my uncles have had quite some experience hunting, and, of course, they knew just what to take along."

"Do you think it will be enough?" questioned Randy anxiously. His appet.i.te for eating never seemed to be lacking.

"You've got enough there for six or eight," answered the old lumberman.

"However, it won't do any harm to add a few more beans and a little extra bacon; likewise a little more sugar, seeing as how boys generally like things sweet."

It was an easy matter to purchase the various articles at the general store, and the boys had the clerk pack them securely in several soap boxes. Then Jack, as the treasurer for the crowd, paid the bill.

By this time it was growing dark, and Uncle Barney told them they had better not waste their time.

"I may be mistaken, but it looks a good deal like another snowstorm to me," he explained. "And if it's going to snow, we might as well get to the island before it starts to come down too hard."

The old lumberman was right about the snow, and some early flakes came sifting down while they were still at the boathouse packing the bobsled.

The old lumberman showed them how to secure the load so that there would be no danger of its falling off.

"Now then, on with your skates, and we'll be off," he announced. In the winter time he always made the journey between the island and the town on his steel runners.

"I suppose skating is a good deal easier than walking," remarked Fred, while the boys were putting on their skates.

"To be sure. And we can make so much better time."

"How far have we got to go?" questioned Andy.

"To the upper end of the island, where I've got my home, is about four miles."

"Oh, that isn't so far!" cried Fred. "We can skate that in no time."

"We could if we could go in a straight line. But we can't," answered Uncle Barney. "The wind blew the last snow in all sorts of ridges across the ice, and we'll have to pick our way along as best we can."

A long rope had been attached to the bobsled, so that they could all a.s.sist in hauling it along. On the smooth ice the load proved to be a light one, so that they had little difficulty in progressing. But, as the old lumberman had said, the ridges of snow on the lake were numerous, and some of these were piled up several feet high, and the party had to make long detours around them.

"This isn't going to be so easy, after all," remarked Fred, after they had skated for almost half an hour. "I thought we would get to Snowshoe Island in no time."

It was now quite dark, and the snow was falling steadily. So far, there had been little wind, but now this, too, sprang up, sending the frozen particles directly into their faces.

"Gee! this isn't so pleasant!" exclaimed Andy, as he pulled down his cap and pulled up the sweater he was wearing.

"The wind is increasing," said Fred a minute later. "Hark to that, will you?"

All listened, and from a distance heard the wind stirring through the woods bordering the lake in that vicinity. Then the wind bore down upon them, and with it came a heavier fall of snow.

"Say, this is going to be some snowstorm!"

"Yes, and some blow too!"