This was done, he and several of the others investigated the spot under the fallen cedars with care. No trace of any wild animal, not even a rabbit or a squirrel, was found. Then the boys began to size up the situation, trying to determine how they could make themselves at home there for the night.
“First of all I think we had better build a fire,” suggested Gif. “Then, after we have warmed up and rested a bit, we can prepare supper.”
With so much wood at hand it was an easy matter to start a campfire. This was placed at one side of the opening under the fallen cedars, the boys taking care that the flames should not reach the trees. With their hatchet they cut off some of the cedar boughs and scattered these over the ground for a flooring. The driest they placed to one side to use for bedding later.
Fortunately while at Henryville they had purchased a fair-sized box of cocoa. This box was of tin, and Jack suggested that they dump the cocoa out on a sheet of paper which he had in his pocket and then use the tin for a pot in which to boil water.
“It won’t make a very large cocoa pot, but it will be better than nothing, and we can fill it as many times as we please.”
The boys had several collapsible drinking cups with them, and these they would take turns in using.
“I’m mighty glad we bought that cheese,” remarked Spouter. “That will help out quite a little,” for they carried a piece weighing almost two pounds.
Of the other things purchased at Henryville, only a box of fancy crackers could be used. There were two dozen all told, and these were divided by Randy, four crackers to each cadet.
“We’ll clean a couple of the rabbits and see what we can do about broiling them over the flames,” said Gif. “Now you fellows can show what you can do,” he added, with a grin. “It’s all well enough to work when you’ve got the tools to work with, but quite another story when you’ve got next to nothing.”
Water was obtained by melting a quantity of the snow, and soon they had the first can of hot cocoa ready. In the meanwhile several of the lads were broiling the rabbits as best they could.
“I know how I’m going to heat the next can of water,” declared Andy. “I’m going to do as the Indians did—drop a clean, redhot stone into it.” And this he did later on and got his boiling water in short order.
It was not a very satisfactory meal, but the lads had fun eating it, and they did not complain when they found portions of the broiled rabbits slightly burnt and found that four fancy crackers with cheese each did not take the place of a big pan of biscuits or a good-sized loaf of bread.
“One thing is in our favor, anyhow,” said Fred, with a sigh of satisfaction, after they had finished their scant meal. “We won’t have to wash the dishes.”
The can was dried over the fire, the cocoa was replaced, and then the lads proceeded to make themselves comfortable for the night. They missed their blankets, and it was therefore decided that they should take turns in sitting up and guarding the fire, so that all might keep warm without running the danger of setting fire to the cedars under which they were resting.
It proved to be a long and wearisome night for most of them. The resting places were anything but soft, and a fitful wind often blew the smoke of the campfire toward the would-be sleepers, causing them to cough and shift their positions. But neither man nor beast came to disturb them, for which they were thankful.
“Going to bother about breakfast?” questioned Jack, as he sat up and saw that Gif and Spouter were already stirring.
“I don’t think so,” was the answer. “If you fellows are willing, we’ll strike right out for the Lodge. We can get a better meal there.”
The others agreed, and almost before daylight they were on their way again. They climbed to the top of the cliff, and, after moving around cautiously for several hundred feet, reached a well defined trail running in the direction Gif thought they ought to take.
The storm had cleared away, and soon the sun came peeping over the treetops.
“Gee! I won’t do a thing to a good hot breakfast when we reach the Lodge,” remarked Randy to his twin.
“I’ll be with you,” returned Andy. “A big heaping plate of pancakes with maple syrup for me, flanked by a couple of good-sized sausage cakes and washed down with a big cup of that cocoa!”
“Say, Andy, you make me hungry clean down to my shoes!” burst out Fred.
“I think we’ll all be able to eat a good breakfast by the time we get there,” announced Gif.
“Are you sure you are on the right trail, Gif?” questioned Spouter anxiously.
“Yes, I know where I am now. It’s queer how I got mixed up before.”
“How much further?” questioned Jack.
“About half a mile.”
They crossed another small clearing, and on the edge of this caught sight of several more rabbits. Jack and Randy fired simultaneously and were lucky to bring down two of the bunnies.
“They will help out the larder just so much more,” announced Gif, after they had tried for several minutes to stir up more of the rabbits, but without success.
“I wish we could get a chance at some other kind of game,” remarked Jack.
Presently they caught sight of Cedar Lodge at a distance, and then all hurried their pace.
“Looks mighty good to a fellow after he’s been away all night,” declared Spouter.
“Look, Look!” burst out Gif. “What can that mean? Every window and every door of the Lodge is wide open!”
“Sure as you’re born, Gif is right!” ejaculated Fred. “Something is wrong, that’s sure.”
All set off on a run, to ascertain as quickly as possible what had occurred at the Lodge during their absence. Gif was the first to enter the place, but he was quickly followed by the others.
“Gee! what do you know about this?” ejaculated Andy.
“This is the work of our enemies!” murmured Jack.
The doors and windows had evidently been open for some time, for the Lodge was bitter cold inside and not a little snow had drifted in through the openings. The wind had likewise entered, blowing the ashes of the dead fire in all directions.
“I’ll bet Glutts and Werner did this!” cried Spouter.
“Just what I think,” answered Jack.
CHAPTER XXII
AT TONY DUVAL’S CAMP
The six cadets lost no time in making a thorough examination of the Lodge. In the bedrooms they found everything topsy-turvy, the bed clothes having been hauled near the windows where the incoming snow might fall upon them. In the kitchen they found many of their cooking utensils in the sink, and over them had been poured a mixture of flour, catsup, maple syrup, and condensed milk. In the storeroom many other things were upset, and not a few of the supplies appeared to be missing.
“This is certainly the worst yet!” groaned Fred, as he looked at the mussed-up and ruined food.
“I said Glutts and Werner would get back at you for meddling with their supplies,” remarked Jack sharply. “They have certainly paid us back with interest.”
“I wish we had those two fellows here now. I’d hammer them good and proper,” declared Randy. “Just the same, I suppose this is our fault, and I’m mighty sorry for it,” he added, looking at Jack, Gif, and Spouter.
“They either took a large share of our supplies away, or else hid them,” said Gif, after another look around. “My, what a mess they did make!”
“Well, as we are largely responsible for this, it’s up to us to take hold and clean up the best we can,” announced Randy to his twin and Fred.
“Right you are,” answered Andy. “Come ahead! we’ll clean up the living-room first and get a fresh fire started.”
“All right, you fellows do that, and we’ll tackle the bedrooms,” said Jack. “We’ll have to dry out that bedding before night.”
Soon the whole
crowd was busy, breakfast, for the time, being forgotten. All went at the task with a will, and before long everything was straightened out but the kitchen. Doors and windows had been closed, a fresh fire had been lit, and then the roaring logs sent a grateful warmth through the entire bungalow.
“Now we’ll get breakfast, and then we’ll clean up this mess in the kitchen,” announced Gif.
“And what are we going to do after that?” questioned Jack.
“What do you think we ought to do, Jack?”
“Square accounts with Glutts and Werner, if they are the guilty parties.”
“They only paid us back for what Fred and the twins did,” said Spouter. “I don’t know but what we might as well call it quits.”
“Well, we’ll go over there, anyway, and see what they’ve got to say for themselves,” said Jack. “Perhaps at the least we’ll be able to scare them so that they’ll leave us alone in the future.”
“All right, we might do that,” answered Gif; and so it was decided.
The boys came to the conclusion that Glutts and Werner, accompanied possibly by Codfish, must have visited the Lodge some time in the middle of the previous afternoon. Evidently the marauders had been afraid that the bungalow’s occupants might return at any moment, for they had worked with great speed.
“They took a big chance with that fire,” remarked Randy. “If the wind had blown the sparks too far—into the bedrooms for instance—the whole place might have gone up in flames.”
At first the lads thought to go over to Tony Duval’s place without delay. But by the time they had straightened out the bungalow and gotten their breakfast, the older cadets were in a different frame of mind.
“More than likely they’ll be on their guard to-day, looking for us to come over,” said Jack. “Let us wait two or three days and try to catch them unawares,” and this change was made in their plans.
Several days, including Sunday, passed, and the six cadets took it easy. It snowed part of the time, so that they went out hunting only once. On that trip they managed to get several more rabbits and four quail, but that was all.
“I thought I saw a fox,” said Gif on the morning following. “I heard him bark during the night too.”
“Was he a silver fox?” questioned Jack eagerly.
“I didn’t see him well enough to find out, and I can’t tell the color of a fox from his bark,” was Gif’s somewhat dry reply. And at this there was a laugh.
Then the storm cleared away once more, and on the following morning the boys resolved to tramp in the direction of Tony Duval’s place and see if they could locate Werner and Glutts.
“I don’t believe this Tony Duval is a very nice fellow to meet,” remarked Gif, when they were on their way. “I saw him twice, and he looked like anything but a pleasant character.”
The middle of the forenoon found them on the grounds occupied by the various shacks belonging to the French-Canadian. They were small structures, built for the most part of slabsides, and each contained but two windows and a door.
“I wonder which shack is that used by Glutts and Werner,” remarked Randy, as they looked around.
Nobody was in sight. There were five of the shacks located several hundred feet apart, and each with some timber around it.
“We’ll try the nearest place,” said Gif, and, going up to it, he knocked sharply on the door. He waited for fully a minute, but there was no reply.
“Seems to be empty,” remarked Jack, after looking in through one of the windows. “There is no sign of a fire in the fireplace.”
They tramped on to the next shack, and found that was likewise vacant.
“I think we’ll find somebody at home in the third shack,” announced Spouter. “Anyway, I see smoke coming from the chimney.”
They were approaching the doorway of this rude structure when it was suddenly flung open and a man stepped into view. He wore a hunter’s outfit, and carried a double-barreled shotgun in his hands.
“Who are you?” he questioned, and his tone had a strong French accent. “What do you want here?”
“We are looking for a fellow named Werner who hired one of these shacks,” answered Gif.
“Who are you?” repeated the man sharply, and then Gif recognized Tony Duval.
“I am the son of one of the men who own Cedar Lodge. We want to find Werner and the two fellows who are with him.”
“Aha! So you are the young fellows from Cedar Lodge who made so much trouble for Mistaire Werner and his friends,” cried Tony Duval. “He has told me all about that.”
“Did he tell you what he did down at Cedar Lodge?” demanded Jack.
“He say he would square the account. Why should he not do that? You have no right to destroy his things and hurt his horse.”
“We didn’t touch his horse!” answered Fred quickly.
“His horse is gone lame, and he say you do that,” cried Tony Duval. “I do not want such people as you around my place. You can go back, and you must stay off my property,” and Tony Duval emphasized his words by handling his shotgun suggestively.
“If Werner and his friend are here we want to see them,” cried Jack sharply. “Which shack do they live in?”
“They live there.” Duval pointed with his thumb. “They are not at home now. They go on a hunt. But you shall not make more trouble for them or you will hear from me,” and again he handled his gun suggestively. The man’s face was very red and looked as if he had been drinking. Evidently he was in an ugly humor.
After that the cadets attempted to argue with Tony Duval, but all to no purpose. He was very stubborn, and he insisted upon it that they had already made a great deal of trouble for his patrons. He finally ordered them away, and acted so threateningly that they retired.
“Well, we’ve had our walk for nothing,” remarked Fred, when they were in the woods again.
“I don’t know about that,” answered Randy. “Let us keep our eyes open. Maybe we’ll run across Werner and Glutts.”
The four Rovers and their chums walked leisurely through the woods, keeping their eyes open for the possible appearance of their enemies, and also for any game that might present itself. Thus the best part of an hour went by, and they managed to bring down one more rabbit and also a squirrel. Then they heard some shooting at a distance, and walked cautiously in that direction.
“There they are!” cried Randy presently, and pointed out of the woods and across a small clearing.
All looked in the direction indicated, and there saw Werner, Glutts, and Codfish. Each had a gun, and the three had been shooting at a number of rabbits. Only Werner had been successful, the others shooting wide of the mark.
“Let us circle the clearing and surprise them,” said Jack, and to this the others immediately agreed.
With caution they made their way around the clearing, doing their best to remain hidden from the other boys. They had no desire to be mistaken for game and shot at, so they had to keep their eyes on the alert as they advanced.
Werner and his cronies had passed into the woods, and now were making their way down a hillside into a hollow where they had built a fair-sized campfire. As the Rovers and their chums came closer they saw the three sitting around the campfire and evidently getting ready to have a midday lunch.
“Come on! We’re six to three, so we ought to be able to manage those fellows with ease!” cried Fred.
“Wait a minute! I’ve got an idea!” exclaimed Randy, holding his cousin back.
“What is it?” questioned Spouter.
“Do you see how much higher the other side of the slope is?” went on Andy. “Well, that slope runs right down to where they are sitting and have their fire. Now a few big snowballs started down that slope—”
“I’ve got you, Andy!” burst out his twin, with twinkling eyes. “It will be great! Come on, fellows, w
e’ll smother ‘em with snow!”
CHAPTER XXIII
SIX BIG SNOWBALLS
It did not take the four Rovers and their chums long to reach that part of the slope pointed out by Andy. As he had said, this was much higher than the spot where they had stood before and the slope was much steeper, leading directly down to where Werner, Glutts, and Codfish were now busy over their campfire preparing the midday meal.
The bully and his cronies were good feeders, and had brought a considerable quantity of food for their lunch. Some of this was now spread out on a napkin resting on the snow, and the rest of it was being warmed over the campfire.
“It’s the chance of our lives,” said Randy softly. “Come on, fellows, let’s make the biggest snowballs we can.”
All of the others were willing, and soon they had rolled six snowballs, each of which was two feet or more in diameter.
Of course, our friends were well out of sight of those in the hollow, and as they spoke in low tones their enemies had no suspicion of what was coming.
“Now then, place all the snowballs in a line on the very edge of the slope,” said Jack. “And, Gif, you give the word when we are to push them down.”
Soon the six massive snowballs were lined up side by side. Those behind them looked below to make sure that none of the trio was close to the fire, because they did not wish anybody to be burnt.
“Now then,” whispered Gif suddenly, when he saw the three lads sit down with the cooked stuff between them. “All ready? Go!”
Everybody gave a shove, and over the edge of the slope went the six snowballs, slowly at first, but gradually gathering both size and speed. Through the snow they rolled and over the bare rocks until almost to the foot of the slope.
“Hi! what’s this coming?” roared Glutts, happening to glance around as a strange noise reached his ears.
“It’s a snowslide!” screamed Werner.
“Oh, oh! let me get out of the way!” shrieked Codfish.
All three attempted to spring to their feet, Glutts knocking over a pot of hot coffee as he did so. But the movement came too late, for the next instant the six snowballs bowled over the three boys, hurling them in all directions. One ball rolled through the lunch, carrying most of this along, imbedded in the snow. Another snowball went directly through the campfire, smashing that flat and leaving the embers hissing and blackened.
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