"I can't make out---in fact, I am not at all sure it is the boat,"

was the slow answer.

The object they had discovered was quite a distance out on the lake and the light from their torches reached it but faintly. The thing was drifting down the lake slowly, and as they watched it almost pa.s.sed from view.

"Here, this won't do," cried Snap. "If it is the boat we must catch her and bring her in."

"It's kind of cold swimming---this time of night," answered the doctor's son, who did not relish such a bath.

"Here, you hold my things and I'll swim out," declared Snap, "I don't think the water is any colder now than in the day time."

He was soon ready for the plunge, and noting the direction in which the object had last been seen, he waded into the water.

The first touch felt icy, but after he had ducked down and taken a few strokes it did not seem so bad. He struck out l.u.s.tily, and Shep held up both torches, that he might have some light by which to guide himself.

Snap was a good swimmer, but the object out on the lake was further away than he had calculated, and it took him fully five minutes to get in the vicinity of it. The sky had clouded over a bit, hiding the stars, so he could see little or nothing on the water. On the sh.o.r.e he could see the two torches that the doctor's son was waving and that was all.

At last Snap saw the dark object directly ahead of him. By this time he was somewhat exhausted by his swim and he was glad to think that he would soon be able to rest. Then he made a discovery which did not please him at all.

The object was nothing more than a part of a fallen tree, the trunk resting half in and half out of the water and several branches sticking out in as many directions. At a distance it looked a little like the rowboat but the resemblance faded completely as he got closer.

"Too bad! I thought it was the boat sure!" he murmured. "Well, I'll have to rest on the log a bit, before I strike out for sh.o.r.e."

He swam up to one of the branches and caught hold of it. He was on the point of reaching for the tree trunk when an unusual sound came to his ears.

Then Snap made a discovery that almost took his breath from him.

On the tree trunk rested a big wildcat, it's eyes gleaming fiercely at the youth in the water!

CHAPTER XII

THE CAMP ON LAKE CAMERON

Snap did not stand upon the order of his going, but went at once.

Without a thing with which to defend himself, he had no desire to come into contact with such a savage creature as a wildcat, and, consequently, he dropped back into the water in a hurry and started back for the sh.o.r.e. He almost fancied he heard the wildcat splash in after him, and a chill crept down his backbone which was not caused by the night air.

"h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo!" he yelled to Shep.

"Got the boat?" came back the cry.

"Not much! Get your shotgun ready and fire a shot into the air."

"What's the matter?"

"A wildcat is out here---on a floating log. I'm afraid he's after me."

"A wildcat! Want me to scare him away?"

"Yes."

The doctor's son now understood, and raising his shotgun with one arm he pulled the trigger.

The report sounded out loudly in the night air and the echoes went ringing over the surrounding hills.

In the meantime Snap continued to swim for the sh.o.r.e with all possible speed. Fortunately he came in where there was a sandbar, so that he could wade to solid ground. When Shep reached him he was panting for breath.

"I wa---was---never so scar---scared in my, life!" he panted. "It was only an old tree, and I was going to take a rest on it when I heard the wildcat. He was a big fellow, and his eyes seemed to bore me through and through. Maybe I didn't strike out for sh.o.r.e in a hurry!

"I don't blame you," answered the doctor's son. "Did he jump in the water after you?"

"I don't know."

"And it wasn't the boat?"

"No, I didn't see a thing of the boat."

Snap lost no time in dressing, and in the meantime Shep kept his eyes open for the possible appearance of the wildcat. But the savage creature did not show itself, nor did the fallen tree come again into view.

The report of the gun had reached Giant and Whopper, and they came up on the run, fearing something serious had occurred.

"We walked along the sh.o.r.e for almost quarter of a mile," said Whopper, "but we didn't see a blessed thing that looked like the boat. I am afraid it's gone for good."

"If it is we'll have to go home, and that will be the end of this outing," answered Shep.

"Oh, we're going to find that boat!" declared Giant. "But I don't think we'll be able to do much until daybreak."

They followed the sh.o.r.e for a short distance further, and then went back to the temporary camp. It was now half-past three in the morning.

"It will be growing light in another hour," said Whopper. "I move we get breakfast and be ready to start off as soon as we can see."

His suggestion was carried out. Snap's swim had made him cold, and he was glad enough to drink two cups of steaming hot coffee. The boys had brought some doughnuts along, and these, with the coffee and some fried fish, gave them a very appetizing breakfast. They took their time eating, waiting impatiently for the first signs of light in the eastern sky.

At last it was light enough to see almost across the lake, and then they looked in all directions for some sign of the missing rowboat.

The craft was not in sight, and once again the party divided, this time Whopper and Snap going to the south and Shep and Giant to the north. Each took his gun along, and it was Snap who told them to make sure the firearms were loaded.

"You never want to go out with an empty gun," he said.

"Humph!" muttered Giant. "Did you ever do such a thing?" But Snap pretended not to hear and did not answer.

Whopper and Snap covered almost half a mile before they came to a turn in the lake sh.o.r.e. Here there was quite a good sized cove, and much to their surprise they saw two large tents standing among the trees. Nearby was the remains of a campfire, with sticks, an iron chain, and a big iron pot over it.

"I didn't notice this camp when we came up," said Whopper.

"All the folks here must be asleep," said Snap. But as he spoke a man came from one of the tents and stared at them. It was Andrew Felps, the rich lumber merchant who owned much of the land around the lake and who had treated them so meanly the summer and the winter previous.

"Hi, you!" roared Felps. "What are you doing around here?"

"Looking for our boat," answered Snap.