ng had made him very tired.

Snap and Whopper now got into the canoe, and they went twice as far
as Shep had been. At last they struck a point of land in a
direction they had imagined was far out in the lake. They followed
this up and soon came to the shore, but where they did not know.

"I think we are either above or below our camp," said Snap.

"Or else on the same side of the lake that we started from," said
Whopper. "It would be just our luck to get completely twisted in
this teetotal darkness. It's worse than a pocket in a coal mine!"

They paddled back to the others and told them of what they had
discovered. Then a portion of the outfit was transferred to the
empty rowboat, and another effort was made to float both craft.
At last the rowboats slid off the sand bar, and then they pulled
to the point of land without further mishap.

No one could tell where they were, but Snap, Giant and Whopper
imagined the spot must be half a mile or more below their camp.
They had landed in a wild place, and walking along the shore was
out of the question.

"We might as well stay where we are until morning," said Snap. "If
we try to move in this darkness we may only fall into more trouble."

But the others preferred to get back to camp if possible, and
Whopper volunteered to paddle up the shore, while Shep rowed in the
other direction. If either found the camp he was to whistle or fire
a shot as a signal.

"Listen," said Giant, after he and Snap had been left alone over
a quarter of an hour. "I hear voices!"

Both strained their ears, and from the lake they heard a confused
murmur. Then came the splashing of oars or paddles, and an exclamation
of disgust.

"It is the Spink crowd!" cried Snap. "They are on the lake. They
must have followed us on the raft!"

"Yes, and they are stuck on the sand bar, just as we were," said
Giant, and grinned to himself in the dark. "I hope they have to
stay there!"

The talking out on the lake continued, but presently it died away
in the distance. Evidently the party had freed the raft from the
sand bar and was paddling in another direction.

When Whopper came back he said he had located the camp only a
short distance away. The others then whistled for Shep, who soon
came in, and Snap and Giant told what they had heard.

"We'll get to camp and prepare to give those fellows a hot reception,"
said the leader of the club. And then the two rowboats and the canoe
moved o