Four Boy Hunters | Page 7

two million pardons,
Ham. You see, I was holding the oar this way and I turned it so, and

I---well, I declare, there she goes again!" And once more poor Ham
received a shower of water over his rather elegant suit.
"I'll---I'll have, the constable lock you up!" spluttered the dudish boy,
backing away rapidly. "This is---er---outrageous---I'll--- I'll tell your
folks!"
"That's right, be a tattle-tale!" came from Giant, and then he began to
sing softly.
"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan! Ham's the best of meat!"
"Ham in the pan! Ham in the pan! Ham is good and sweet!"
"You stop that!" roared Ham Spink, and then, as a dozen boys on the
dock took up the darky song, he turned and strode away, with his rather
short nose tilted high in the air.
"Do you think he'll call on our folks about this?" whispered Whopper,
somewhat anxiously. "I shouldn't like to leave under a cloud."
"Oh! he hasn't got backbone enough to make trouble," answered Shep.
But Shep was mistaken, as we shall learn later.
The rowboat was now some distance from the dock, and with a final
wave of the hand the boys began the journey to Lake Cameron.
In a straight line the lake was about ten miles from the town, but the
river was a winding one, so they had a row of over thirteen miles before
them.
"I hope we haven't forgotten anything," said Whopper. "It would be a
shame to have to go back, eh, fellows?"
"We are not going back," returned Giant. "If anything has been left
behind we will have to get along without it."
Having left the town behind, the boys reached a point on the stream
where the trees and bushes were thick on either side. They turned in

toward the left bank, where the sun was not quite so strong, for in spite
of the fact that it was fall it promised to be warm.
"Be careful along here," cautioned Shep. "There are some big rocks just
under the surface."
He had scarcely spoken when there came a terrific bump which almost
threw him overboard. Whopper was sent sprawling on his side, and his
oar sent a shower of water over Giant.
"Wow!" came from Whopper. "Say, did we strike a fortress or what? I
thought I was going to the bottom sure!"
"I said to be careful," answered Shep, as the craft sheered off. "Either
move out to the middle of the stream or else go slower."
"No use of moving to the middle of the stream now," said Giant. "I
want to land a short distance below here."
"What for?" asked the others.
"I'll show you when we get there."
Presently they came to a clearing where there was a cornfield. Beyond
this was a fine apple orchard, and looking among the trees they espied
some especially fine apples.
"We may as well take a few along," said Giant.
"Who owns the orchard?" questioned Whopper.
"Pop Lundy," answered Snap. "The meanest farmer in this district."
"Then he won't give us any apples," declared Whopper.
"We'll have to make an appropriation," said Giant, coolly. "He owes me
some, anyway. I once did an errand for him in town and he hardly gave
me a thank you for it."

"If he catches us he will make it warm."
"We'll keep our eyes peeled."
After a few words more the rowboat was run up under some bushes and
all leaped ashore. They made their way through the bushes into the
orchard proper and then hurried for the tree that seemed to be bearing
the best of the fruit.
"These apples are certainly all right," remarked Shep, biting into one
which was extra juicy. "We may as well take all we can carry of them."
It was no easy task to get at the apples, which were rather high up, and
one after another the boys got up into the lower branches and then
mounted higher. Here they stuffed their pockets until it was impossible
to carry another one.
"Well, boys, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay up there, hey?"
The question came from the foot of the tree, and, much alarmed, the
four gazed below, to see Pop Lundy standing there, with a stout whip in
his hand.
"I say, how much longer be you a-goin' to stay there?" went on the
mean farmer, with a glare at them.
"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Lundy?" cried Snap, as cheerfully as he could.
"We were just rowing by and we thought we'd sample your apples."
"Really neow, thet was kind, wasn't it?" said the farmer, sarcastically.
"Jest come deown and ye can sample this cowhide o' mine."
"Thanks, but I just as soon stay here," came softly from