Chums of the Camp Fire

les does that last bullf

n, all t-t-t

bout twenty before we quit, which would make just five for each of us, Max, Bandy-legs, y

et with big bullfrog saddles," remarked the third boy, whose lower limbs were a little inclined to grow in the shap

s a born leader, no matter whether on the field of sport as known to the boys of Carson, or in camp, and whose name was Max Hastings; "because

squatting up on the bank?" whispered the boy who just then held the l

where the ice pushed it last winter. Don't you see a bunch of grass at the further end? Well, he's alongside that, and I reckon he

ned to be rather excitable at times, and on this account he had been d

aise the little rifle to his shoulder, and take aim; "and let me tell y

a victorious crow, just as though he might have been a barnyard rooster ret

ine shot for you, Steve. Now hand me the gun, for

ved how the pond shore took several twists in that particular place, making it difficult to reach

that buster, even if I had to strip, and swim over, with the

e of the pond where their hunt was taking place, and which lay not more

rther use by inserting a fresh cartridge in place of the empty shell, a fe

t times during the past two years, many of these happenings havin

the shape of money, through the possession of which they were enabled to carry out many of their

ers adjacent to Carson, these boys, together with Owen Hastings, a cousin of Max, now

issouri, Indiana and other places, and he conceived the idea that possibly those in the smaller

ord to anybody, had gone into camp on the Big Sunflow

for the wideawake lads found quite a lot of valuable, pearls in

sleeves, knowing full well that they had "skimmed the cream off the pan." True, a few gems were found, but nothing to comp

arious ways, such as combing the woods far and near in search of wild ginseng, and golden seal, the roots of which, when properly dried

old friend who spent all his time there, trapping wild animals in season for their pelts, and getting close to

. Toby Jucklin had brought home a 'coon he had captured; while Bandy-legs was the proud owner of a fast growing black bea

ng the line of owning pets, and his comrades many times declared that he would soon have a regular menagerie in the back yard o

e hoped to raise a family later on; a red fox that had a limp on account of the broken leg set by Toby after he had found the little animal apparently dying from hunger in the bitter wintry storm; and last but not least a

inordinate love for pets. They said he dreamed every night of going out to Africa or

y knew that boys must have a hobby of some sort. With one it may be a mania for collecting things in the line of autographs or postage stamps; while another may start to stuff

s, however, when Toby surprised his chums by talking as plainly and steadily as any one of them could do. Though these lapses were but temporary, and h

of the open after a severe winter. Easter came unusually late that year, and the spring had already adv

fried frogs' legs, which they declared beat any spring chicken ever hatched. And since there were already thirteen plump white "saddles," as th

g his prize, which promised to excel in size any of those they had already "dressed,"

as much as the thing itself. Max Hastings knew so many things in connection with the woods; and they had also picked up such a world of information when spending those halc

slipped, and splashed the water in his eagerness to accomplish the errand that had taken him t

e w-w-water's c-c-cold right now! Don'

look out for myself all right. One more turn and I'll be there. And I c'n see your eyes stickin'

nback might recover, and hop into the pond before his very eyes, that pos

og for eatin'. Now I like 'em first-rate, but you see I've just got to keep on the good side of our cook, 'cause she gives me lots of scraps for my pet cub. And if that cute little bungler don'

he sleeve of Bandy-legs eagerly, while as soon as he could

f my own. S-s-say, just name your p-p-price, and if I've g-g-got anything you want right b-b-bad it's yours. That c-c-cook

at the eager spea

Nicodemus you'll have first chance. It's goin' to be money in my pocket if I do let him go, because he costs me like

hing that came to their ears, Steve being shut out from their view temporarily by a thick clump

nd see if he needs an

out," said Bandy-legs; "and we'll have to see that h

ed to be carrying the basket in which reposed the h