n, and all were
ready to start, Jake gave a wild leap and landed too near the edge of
Yhon's canoe. Over it went, staples and outfits all going down into the
water.

"Oh, all our sugar and salt--and everything!" cried Julie.

Yhon never changed a muscle of his face, although he must have been
taken by surprise when he was precipitated into the water. The outfits,
hampers, and other things were quickly salvaged and restored to the
canoe, but Jake sat in disgrace on the bank, and hung his head as if he
understood just what he had done.

So much time had been used in rescuing Yhon, in fishing their food-stock
out of the water, and coaxing Jake back into the canoe, that it was late
when the scouts reached Deerland Lodge.

"What say you, scouts,--shall we stop at the Lodge, or take a chance up
Long Lake until we reach a point where we can strike off to reach
Hendrick Spring, the fountainhead of the Hudson River?" asked Mr.
Gilroy.

"And where shall we camp?" asked Mrs. Vernon.

"It might be nice to camp at the spring," suggested Alec.

"Oh, yes, let's do that, Gilly!" cried several voices.

So they kept right on, paddling swiftly along until they reached a place
on the shore where Yhon said they must land if they proposed going to
Hendrick Spring.

"Oh, I thought we could canoe there," ventured Julie.

"No, we must leave Yhon here to watch the canoes while we hike along the
trail that goes there. We can carry our sleeping-bags and take enough
food for supper, then come back early in the morning for a good
breakfast with Yhon," explained Mr. Gilroy.

"Is there no way we might take to return to Fulton Chain Lakes other
than going back the same route?" questioned Mrs. Vernon.

"No, we shall have to go the way we come, or be willing to _carry_
overland for many miles, from one water to the other."

"Oh, no, that is out of the question," said the Captain.

So each scout took a sleeping-bag and cup and plate, while the boys
carried the extra cooking outfit, and Alec his rifle.

The trail led through a most wonderful primeval forest where lichened
stones, moss-clothed fallen trees and luxuriant foliage of standing
timber furnished homes for countless wild creatures.

They had not gone far before a ruddy-hued fox tried to back out of their
way on the trail, and managed successfully to merge his color with that
of the yellow-brown verdure about him. Further on, Alec suddenly lifted
his rifle and aimed, but the fur