ny for anything."

"Vot you said apout a stage?" demanded the German youth. "I ton't
vos ride on no stage ven I got a goot horse alretty."

"Fred wants you to go on the stage," said Sam,

"He thinks you might play Shakespeare," said Tom.

"Vot kind of a play is dot Shakespeares?"

"It's a farce in 'steen acts and twice as many scenes," said Dick.
"You might play the double-tongued mute."

"I like not such a blay. I like dot blay vere da vos all killed off
kvick."

"Good gracious! Hans wants to go in for tragedy!" ejaculated Tom.
"Who would think he was so bloodthirsty. If you keep on like that,
Hansy, dear, I'll be afraid you'll murder us in our sleep."

"I like dem murders. Da vos alvays make dem goose skins mine back town."

At this there was a general roar.

"'Goose skins' is good," came from Fred.

"Vot you laffin' at, hey?" demanded Hans.

"Nothing."

"Dere don't been noddings to laugh at by a murder, not so?"

"That's true, Hansy," said Sam.

"Maybe of you vos killed, you vould sit ub and laugh at him, hey?"

"I shouldn't laugh," said Tom. "I'd keep quiet about it."

"Yah, I know you, Tom Rofer. I bet you sixteen cents I vos a better
actor mans as you been," continued Hans, warming up.

"I don't doubt it, Hansy. Some day we'll put you on the stage."

"Of I got on der stage, I make me a hundred dollars a veek, I pet
you my head!"

"Maybe you'd make two hundred, Hans," suggested Songbird.

"You all peen jealous of vot I can do. But some day I vos show you,
you see!" cried the German youth, and rode on ahead, somewhat out of
sorts.

They had resolved to camp out that night in true hunter fashion, and
approaching a spot that looked inviting, they came to a halt. The
place was some distance from the road and ideal in many respects,
being on high ground and with a spring of pure water flowing into a
tiny brook but fifty feet away.

As they had no tent, they proceeded to make a shelter of boughs, and
covered the flooring with the same material. In the meantime, a
campfire was lit, and two of the number set about preparing the supper
which had been brought along.

"This is all very well, when one has his stuff with him," observed
Fred. "But if we had to go out and shoot game or catch fish, it would
be a different story."

"Pooh, as if we haven't done that!" cried Tom. "I shouldn't like
anything better than to go out into the woods for a month."

By the time the shelter was in readiness fo