“That suits me, Shep.”

“Did Ham Spink and his crowd go that way?” asked Whopper.

“I think they did, but I am not sure.”

“Well, I don’t want to meet them if they did,” came from Giant. 
“They can keep their distance and we’ll keep ours.”

CHAPTER VII

UP THE RIVER

Coming from Sunday-school on Sunday afternoon the boys fell in with Jed Sanborn, the old hunter who had gone out with them on more than one trip.  They were rather surprised to see the man carrying his shotgun, for Jed usually believed in respecting the Sabbath day.

“Been out hunting?” queried Snap as all came to a halt.

“Well, yes, kind of,” answered the old hunter.  “But not any reg’lar game.”

“I didn’t think you’d be out on Sunday,” said Whopper.

“I took it into my head yesterday to look fer that lion as got away at Railings,” was Jed Sanborn’s answer.  “Somebuddy said as how he was keepin’ shady over to Merrick’s woods, so I tramped over.  Stayed in the woods all night an’ this mornin’.”

“Did you see the lion?” asked Snap eagerly.

“Nary a hair o’ him, lad, an’ I don’t think he’s in the woods, nuther.”

“But he must be somewhere,” insisted Giant.

“Thet might be, but he ain’t in Merrick’s woods.  I’ll bet a glass o’ cider on’t.”  Jed Sanborn looked at the boys and grinned.  “Goin’ out huntin’ ag’in, so I hear.”

“Yes.”

“Whereabouts this time—–­up whar ye see the ghost?” And the old man chuckled, thinking of what the ghost had proved to be.

“No.  We are going over to Windy Mountains this trip,” answered the doctor’s son.

“That far, eh?  It’s quite a trip.  Hope ye find it wuth so long a journey.  I don’t know as the game thar is any better nor around the lakes close to hum.”

“We are going for the fun of camping partly,” said Shep.  He did not care to say anything about the picture-taking for his father.  “Do you expect to come out that way?”

“I might.”

“If you do you must hunt us up,” put in Snap.

“I’ll do thet, sure pop,” answered Jed Sanborn.  He started off, then turned back.  “Oh, I say!” he called.

“What is it?” asked Whopper.

“It’s about thet pesky Ham Spink,” went on the old hunter.  “Did I tell ye about my spring?”

“No.  What of it?” asked Giant.

“Ye know I’ve got a nice spring o’ cold water up by my cabin.  Well, some days ago Ham Spink an’ thet Dudder boy came up there, an’ on the sly caved the spring in on me.  I caught ’em coming away.  I had my shotgun with me, an’ I was mad, good an’ proper.  I said they must fix the spring or somebuddy’d git shot.  They got scart, I kin tell ye, an’ they got on their hands an’ knees in the sand an’ rocks an’ mud and worked like beavers till they had the spring fixed.  It jest about ruined their clothes, an’ when they went off they was as mad as hops.  Spink said he would square up, but he’s a blower an’ I ain’t afraid o’ him.”