Guns and Snowshoes | Page 3

started in high spirits, and after
a number of minor adventures located on the shore of the lake. From
this spot, however, they were driven by a saw mill owner named
Andrew Felps, who ran a company that was a rival to the concern in
which Mr. Dodge had an interest. The boys were made to give up their
comfortable camp, and then they went to Firefly Lake, a mile away.
Here they hunted and fished to their heart's content, being joined in
some of their sports by Jed Sanborn, an old hunter and trapper who
lived in the mountains between the lakes. They had some trouble with
Ham Spink, a dudish youth from Fairview, who, with some cronies,

located a rival camp across the lake, but this was quickly quelled. Then,
during a forest fire, they captured a long-wanted criminal, and came
home at last loaded down with game, and with the firm determination
to go out camping again during the winter.
"We couldn't spend our time more pleasantly," was what Snap said.
"Just think of a cozy camp in the snow, with a roaring camp-fire, and
plenty of game on all sides of you! Um! um! It's enough to make a
fellow's mouth water!"
"Oh, we'll have to go!" had been Shep's answer. "Of course we'll have
to go to school, but we are going to have a long vacation around the
holidays--"
"And we can ask for our Christmas presents in advance," Giant had
interrupted. "If we go out, I know what I want?"
"What, Giant?"
"A pair of snowshoes."
"Oh, we'll all want those," had come from Whopper. "And sleds,
too--for our traps."
"That's right."
"And another shot-gun."
"Yes, and plenty of blankets. It's no fun to camp out in winter if you
can't keep warm."
And so the talk had run on, until the winter outing of the Gun Club
became almost a certainty to them. But there were certain restrictions,
one of which, placed on all of the boys by their parents, was that they
should end the term at school with good averages in all their lessons.
"You must get at least eighty-five per cent. out of a possible hundred in
all your lessons," said Doctor Reed to Shep, "otherwise you cannot go,"
and the other parents said practically the same thing to Snap, Whopper

and Giant. And then the boys pitched in with a will, resolved to come
out ahead, "or know the reason why," as Snap said.
CHAPTER II
A QUARREL IN THE SNOW
The snow lay on the ground to the depth of four inches and was still
coming down thickly. It was the first fall of the season, and was
late,--so late, in fact, that the boys had been afraid there might come no
fall at all. Fast and furiously flew the snowballs and each lad was hit
many times.
"How is that?" sang out Whopper, as he planted a snowball directly in
Snap's ear.
"And how's that?" returned Snap quickly, and sent a chunk of soft snow
down Frank's collar.
"Wuow!" spluttered Whopper. "Hi! that isn't fair! Oh, my poor
backbone!"
"Here you are, Giant!" called out Shep, and hit the little lad in the back.
"Sorry, but it can't be helped. I--Oh, my!" and Shep bent double as a
snowball thrown by Giant with much force took him directly in the
stomach.
"Just to remember me by!" sang out Giant. "Here's another," and the
ball struck Shep in the elbow. "Small favors thankfully received and
big ones granted in return. There you are!" And still another snowball
landed on Shep's neck.
Five other boys had come up, and now the contestants were lined up on
both sides of the street not far from a corner, where there was a turn
running down to the depot. As the snowballing went on a distant
locomotive whistle sounded out and the afternoon train from the East
rolled into the station. Several passengers alighted and among the
number was Andrew Felps, of the Felps Lumber Company, the man

who had caused the boy hunters so much trouble the summer previous.
Mr. Andrew Felps was in a bad humor. He had gone to the city on
business and matters had not turned out as he had expected. Now he
had gotten back, dressed in his best, and wearing a new silk hat, and he
had no umbrella with which to protect himself from the snow-storm.
More than this, his coachman, who generally met him when he came in
on the train, was not in sight.
"Bah! I'll have to walk I suppose," muttered the saw mill owner, as he
looked around for a carriage and found none. "Just the time you want a
rig you can't find one. I'll discharge Johnson as soon as I