“In that case, I say, let us accept the offer, by all means,” answered Snap.

“How soon can we start?” demanded Whopper.

“I asked my father that, and he said most likely by next Monday.  He will want to give us all some instructions before we leave.  And he wants us to read this book,” and Shep drew a small volume from his pocket.

“What is it?”

“A book on how to take the best photographs of wild animals.”

“Humph!  It’s easy to get a picture—–­if you can find the animal,” was Whopper’s comment.

“This tells how to get a picture if you can’t find the animal.”

“What!”

“Exactly.  Here are diagrams showing how to rig up a camera and a flashlight, so that if the animal comes along in the dark and shoves a certain string the light goes off and so does the camera, and the picture is taken.  If you want to, you can bait the string.”

“Say, that’s great!” cried Giant.

“I’d like to lay the game low—–­after I had the picture,” was Snap’s comment.

“We can do that, too—–­sometimes.”

After that the doctor’s son gave his chums more details of what his parent had said.  All the boys were sure they could go out again, for their return home from their previous trip had not been expected by their parents.

“Were you thinking we might meet Ham Spink and his crowd?” asked Giant during a short lull in the talk.

“Yes,” answered Shep.  “And if we do, they’ll sure try to make trouble for us.”

“I am not afraid of them,” said Snap.   “If they don’t keep their
distance we’ll-----”

“Give ’em as good as they send,” finished Whopper.  “But great Caesar’s tombstone! just think of going camping again!” And in his joy the youth turned a handspring on the grass.  As he arose Giant threw an apple core that took him in the ear.  Then Whopper threw a core in return, hitting Shep.  A general fusillade of cores followed, and the lads ended by chasing each other around the orchard.  Then they trooped back to the rowboat.

“Shall we go and talk to your father?” asked Snap on the way back.

“I think he’d like it if you would,” answered the doctor’s son.  “I’ll see if he is disengaged.”

Dr. Reed was busy with a lady caller and the boys had to wait a quarter of an hour.  Then he came into the sitting-room and shook hands warmly.

“So you are willing to undertake the commission to get pictures, eh?” he said after a few words.  “Well, I am glad of it, for I know you can do it if you’ll try.  The outing ought to just suit you.”

“It certainly will,” answered Snap.

“I’ll get the cameras at once and likewise the other things.  Let me see, what cameras have you now?”

The boys told him, and he made some notes in a book.  A general talk followed, and the physician told the lads just what he would like best to have.  He cautioned them to keep quiet concerning the land company’s projects.