ways been the
most delightful experience in their lives; and whenever this was said
in the presence of Steve or Max of course those boys smiled
contentedly, because they took it as a compliment that Mazie and Bessie
considered camping in their company, under such discouraging
conditions, as a genuine picnic.

It was perhaps a rather remarkable fact that some of Steve's pictures
did actually turn out fairly well. He had tried the best he knew how
to keep the little camera from being submerged in the water; and while
outwardly the leather case had suffered, the films were very little
injured.

They were more than glad of this, because it gave them something
tangible as a reminder of the eventful trip, and the strange adventures
that followed their being kidnapped by the runaway bridge.

Later on that summer, when they had a chance to make a day's tour in an
automobile, Max, Steve, Bandy-legs, and Toby invited both Mazie Dunkirk
and Bessie French to accompany them; and in fine style they visited
along the route of their homeward journey after leaving the camp under
the forest trees.

Nothing would satisfy the two girls but that they must leave the car
somewhere and foot it through the well remembered aisles of the dense
woods until finally they came upon the dear shack where they had spent
that never-to-be-forgotten night.

There they cooked dinner, and enjoyed a real picnic. Every little
event of that delightful past was gone over again with exactness; and
all of them pronounced the day one of the happiest of the calendar.
The shack was still in serviceable condition, and the girls were
pleased to pretend that they might still have need of a shelter
whenever a cloud as big as a boy's pocket appeared in the sky.

Max never learned what became of the two men who had invaded their
camp. Doubtless the annals of some penitentiary might disclose the
fact that they had escaped from its walls; but whether they were
recaptured or not none of the boys ever knew.

Of course Max and his chums were looking forward to other outings when
the vacation period came around again; and we trust that it may be our
good fortune to be given the privilege of placing before the reader
some account of these stirring happenings. Until such time we can only
add that Shack Beggs was surely making good, having completely severed
his relations with those cronies who had so many times led him along
crooked, ways; and whenever Max has the ch