gine you are
only making up this tale to get my son into difficulties,---just
because you know I will not permit you to come here to swim.
Now clear out, and be quick about it,---and don't ever come here
again." And having thus delivered himself he shook his heavy cane
at them, turned on his heel, and walked, away.

"He's a gentleman, I must say," declared Snap, when Mr. Spink was
out of hearing. "A person can easily see where Ham gets his arrogant
ways."

"Yes, and he'll stick up for Ham first, last and all the time,"
added Whopper.

As the boys walked home they discussed the situation from several
points of view. Reaching the street leading to the railroad depot
they came in sight of a familiar figure ahead of them. It was
the old hunter, Jed Sanborn, and he carried a gun in one hand and a
fishing rod in the other, while a basket was slung over his shoulder
by a broad strap.

"Hello, Jed!" sang out Snap, and ran forward to stop the man.

"Why, boys, how are ye!" said the old hunter, turning around and
halting. "Ready to go on your summer trip?" And he smiled broadly.

"Not yet," answered Shep. "But we are going out after the Fourth
of July."

"So I heard. Well, I hope ye have as good a time as ye had last
summer an' last winter."

"We want to know something about Lake Narsac," came from Whopper.
"I've heard there were about a million snakes up there and all big
fellows, too. Is that true?"

"O' course it is," answered Jed Sanborn, with a grin. "Snakes
is twenty to fifty feet long, and so thick ye have to wade through
'em up to your knees. Ha ha!" and he commenced to laugh. "I got
ahead of ye thet time, didn't I, Whopper?"

"But tell us the truth," insisted Giant. "We're thinking of camping
up there, and, of course, we won't want to go if there is any real
danger."

"Well, to tell the plain, everyday truth, boys, I don't allow as how
there is any more reptiles up to Lake Narsac nor there be around
Lake Firefly an' in the mountains whar I hang out. Narsac may have
a few more rattlers, an' them's the wust kind---you know thet as
well as I do. The wust thing I know about Lake Narsac is the
ghost up thar."

"Is there really and truly a ghost?" queried the doctor's son.
"Of course, I don't believe in them," he added, hastily.

"If ye don't believe in 'em why do ye ask about 'em?" demanded the
old hunter, rather indignantly.

"Oh, well---" and Shep could not finish.

"Did you ever see the