Young Hunters of the Lake | Page 4

go in by inches you'll gasp fit to turn your liver over."
Very gingerly Whopper wet his face. As the water ran down his backbone he let out another yell.
"Don't know as I'll go in," he observed. "I thought it would be much warmer."
"Oh, yes, come in," urged Snap.
In the meantime Shep had come to shore and crawled out, behind some bushes. Softly he crept up behind Whopper. Then came a sudden shove, and over went Frank with a loud yell and a splash that sent the spray in all directions. Before he came up Shep was out of sight behind a tree.
"Say, wh---who---" spluttered Whopper, as he came up and gazed around half angrily. Then he caught sight of a shoulder back of the tree. "Come out of that, and let me give you something to remember me by!" And he struck out for shore.
But Shep had no intention of being caught, and as Whopper came out he sprang in. Then Frank came after him, and a race ensued, in which Snap and Giant joined. The rapid swimming warmed all the boys, and then they declared the water "just O.K.," as Snap expressed it. Whopper watched his chance to get even with Shep, and when the other was not looking, dove down and caught the doctor's son by the foot. Shep was just shouting to Giant and had his mouth wide open, and as a consequence swallowed a lot of water. When he and Whopper came up they indulged in a splashing contest lasting several minutes.
"What's the matter with swimming across the river?" suggested Snap, presently.
"It's a pretty good distance," answered Giant. "And you must remember the current is rather swift."
"I'll go, Snap," said Shep, who was always ready to follow his "twin."
"I don't think I'll try it to-day," put in Whopper. "I'll stay on this side with Giant. If you find anything good to eat over there bring it along," he added.
"Might find some berries," said Snap.
At this point the river, from the outer edge of the cove, was about a hundred yards wide. The boys had frequently swum across, so Snap's proposal to go over was nothing unusual. Side by side the boys started out and took their time. They did not attempt to stem the current but allowed it to carry them down the river for several hundred feet. They landed where there was an old orchard, backed up by a large strawberry patch.
"No apples ripe around here," said Snap, as he and his chum walked up the river bank, to a point opposite where they had left Giant and Whopper.
"Let us go over to the strawberry patch," suggested Shep. "We may find some strawberries worth eating."
As nobody was in sight, the proposition was readily accepted, and the boys picked their way carefully along, for they had no desire to hurt their bare feet. Reaching the patch, they began a hunt and soon discovered a corner where the berries were thick and sweet.
"Say, this is prime!" observed the doctor's son, smacking his lips. "This would suit Giant and Whopper to a T!"
"Wonder if we can carry any over to them, Shep?"
"I don't see why not. A little water won't hurt them. In fact they ought to be washed, they are that full of sand."
"Who owns this patch?"
"Old Tom Ashenbury."
"Well, we had better keep out of his sight, or he'll be after us with his gun. Don't you remember how he chased us once, when we were walking through his peach orchard?"
"Indeed I do. But we are doing little harm here. In a few days all these berries will be rotten. I guess he has given up picking them."
In moving around the boys had found a couple of old berry baskets, and these they now proceeded to fill. The task was about half completed when Snap suddenly straightened up.
"What was that?" he asked.
"What?" demanded his chum.
"I thought I heard a cry from across the river."
Both listened, but nothing came to their ears.
"You must have been mistaken," said the doctor's son, and resumed his work of picking strawberries.
"No use of picking more," said Snap, a few minutes later. "We'll be lucky to get over with these. Perhaps we'll drop half of them, trying to swim."
"Hi, look there!" shouted his companion, and pointed across the field in the direction of the river.
A flock of sheep had suddenly appeared, some fifteen or twenty in number. At the head was a large ram, who gazed in wonder at the two boys in their bathing outfits.
"Say, that ram means business!" ejaculated Snap, an instant later. "We had better clear out of here."
"Come on, I'm willing," responded the doctor's son, and started for the stream, carrying the basket of strawberries in one hand.
"Let us go up the stream," went on Snap. "No use of