“This isn’t so pleasant,” said Whopper, as he gazed out at the rain.  “I hope it doesn’t last long.”

“Well, we have got to take the weather as it comes,” said Shep, philosophically.  “We can’t expect the sun to shine every day.”

“I’d like it to rain during the night and be clear in the daytime.”

“Want your weather made to order,” laughed Giant.

Fortunately the boys had brought along several books and games.  They had agreed that the books should be read only in bad weather, and the games played only when they could not go out, and now these pastimes came in very handy.  They had checkers and dominos, and a new card game that was just then “all the rage.”  When night came they turned in early and slept soundly, the fear of the bear no longer troubling them.

CHAPTER VIII

AN UNWELCOME ARRIVAL

The second week passed and they spent a quiet Sunday in camp.  They were fortunate in their hunting and brought in large quantities of small game.  Shep brought down a silver-tailed fox, of which he was very proud, and Whopper laid low the biggest rabbit they had yet seen.  One day Giant and Snap went out for partridge and brought in three, all of fair size.  They had also come across the track of some deer, and hoped to get on the trail of big game in the near future.

But Tuesday morning brought a disagreeable surprise.  They were just getting ready for dinner, and Giant was out in the boat, fishing, when they heard a noise that was new to them.

“What do you suppose that is?” asked Whopper.  “Sounds like an automobile approaching,” answered Shep.  “But of course it can’t be that.”

“It’s a gasolene launch,” declared Snap.  “There she is now!” and he pointed to an outlying spur of land, around which the craft was puffing.

The launch was a craft fully forty feet long and correspondingly broad of beam.  She was piled high with an outfit for camping, and in the boat were six men, two of whom were evidently camp helpers and guides.

“I believe those men are coming here!” declared Shep, as the launch turned in toward them.

The boys watched the approach of the gasolene launch with interest.  It did not take long for the craft to reach a position directly in front of the camp, and there the power was turned off and one of the men prepared to leap ashore.

“Hullo!” ejaculated a man in the stern of the launch, gazing ashore at the cabin.  “What in thunder does this mean?”

No one answered him, and a moment later the bow of the launch scraped the sand and one after another the men leaped out.  The boat was tied up and the men approached the young hunters.

“I say, what does this mean?” demanded the man who had spoken before.  He was a burly individual, with a heavy black moustache and closecut beard.  The look out of his eye was far from a pleasant one.