e Miller has a good one, and I know he'd lend it to us if
we asked him."

"We won't ask him," Dick replied.

"Now, why not? We have money enough so we can afford to buy some shells,
and----"

"Harry, did you tell your folks you expected there'd be a shotgun along
on this trip?"

"'Course not. I didn't know there would be one."

"Do you think your folks would have let you come if they had thought of
such a thing?"

"Maybe not. But they didn't say a word against our having one."

"Harry, if our parents were to hear that we had taken a shotgun along
they'd be worried to death," said Dick gravely.

"Humph! We're old enough to manage a gun," remonstrated Hazelton.

"Perhaps we are, but it would worry our home folks just the same. Boys
are always believed to be careless with firearms. We don't want any
shotgun along, and then we won't have any need to be sorry about it
afterwards."

"But there'll be rabbits and other game that we might get."

"Dave has brought his air-rifle, and has plenty of 'pills' for it. And
Tom brought along his bow and half a dozen arrows. We can take care of
the little game we may see."

"That's right," broke in Dave, who had been listening. "If we were fools
enough to take along a shotgun it'd be many a day before we'd get leave
to go on another camping jaunt."

So better counsel prevailed, and Joe Miller was not asked to loan his
shotgun. In due time Joe drove around to the door of the store, and the
work of loading began.

"Hey, you fellows, where are you going?" hailed Ben Alvord, stopping and
gaping in wonder.

"Camping," replied Dick with an air of importance.

"Whee! Say, take me along?" coaxed Ben.

Dick hated the task of refusing, but Dave came to his rescue.

"Got five dollars, Ben?"

"Quit your kidding," retorted Alvord.

"That's what each fellow paid to get into this outfit," Dave went on.
"We couldn't feed any more fellows unless they contributed their share
in cash."

"How long you going to be gone?" asked Ben.

"Maybe two weeks."

"Whee!"

"It will depend somewhat on how long it takes us to eat up our table
stuff," laughed Dick.

"My, but you fellows are in luck!"

A few more of the Grammar School fellows happened along. There was much
envious talk. There were also several pleas to be taken along, but the
mention of the five dollar assessment silenced all such requests.

"All ready!" called out Joe Miller at last. "You youngsters jump on
lively, for