The Boy Chums in the Forest

eams. Instinctively both reached for their belts and pistols, which they had placed close to their hands on retiring. There was no need for thei

quake," cried Charley as he hurled a shoe

way," grinned Chris. "Time to g

st no time in slipping into their outer clothes and strap

in strapping the packs on the animals, while

unching his hardtack and bacon, "we'll soon tire o

r the coals would go prett

is, "you-alls just ought to taste de

sizzling brown," said

gs unless we stop and have a regular hunt, an' I don't like to take the time for it. Maybe we'

l were soon in the saddle, and with Charley in the lead, took

rley reined in his pony. "Trail'

in the unknown, "that means we are getting beyond

and handed it to Charley. "Steer due

e general westerly direction. All hands kept their guns ready, but, although they saw evidences of big game on every hand, th

t, when they began to fear that further progress would be impossible, they burs

ook at those pretty little lakes, you can s

sentence. His pony had put its foot in a hole and stumbled, while Charley, taken unawares, pitched over the animal's head and landed on all fours in a little heap of sand

rley?" cried the c

ion on the sand-heap. "I'm just holding down our dinner," h

at tall slender sapling over there? It's just the thing I want. Ple

him that Charley never made useless demands. In a fe

o the small end of the trunk. This one he cut off so as to leave a projecting stub

ty, but asked no questions, for they

g the sapling over and over, then drew it slowly and gently up, but the end came into view with nothing adhering to it. Again and again was the fruitless op

xclaimed Walt

ass and never goes near the water," explained Charley, proud of his capture. "Chris, ride o

it from his saddle-horn, then all remounted and turned their ponies towar

ny broke from the trees and bore down upon them at a run. The little darky

ted, "hit's a lake of bloo

ris. Come on all, let's see what's scared him so." He spurred forward followed by the others and still retaining his ho

speechless in their saddles, and truly there was in the sight excuse for Chris' chattering teeth. The little wavelets which broke at their feet

all medicine glass, which he filled with the liquid and held up to the l

might be the bottom gave it that color, but

ing trees carefully. "I've got it," he announced

d, "they are all red bays. It's

words of the explanation. Soon he reappeared with an armful of dry

dis nigger had you-alls scart dis time. Di

uldn't try it again, Chris," Charley chuckled; "y

and preparing a bed of coals

so hardened as to be impervious to a knife. Charley solved the problem by wedging it in the fork o

leaded Chris; "dis nigger knows just

threw the offal far from the fire. Next he washed both meat and shells carefully, salted and peppered the meat, and replaced it in the shell, laying on top of it a few thin slices of pork

making your game supply its own cookin

one and it was lifted from the coals and the shells

er and more tender than chicken, and the empty

lting-place, which the boys named Lake Christopher, much to the vain little darky's chagri