fellow men; and lastly to demonstrate what a powerful factor in the
development of character and true manhood are the oath and law of the
Boy Scouts of America when subscribed to in sincerity and
conscientiously observed.

Man or boy is never so true to himself as when in intimate contact with
nature. Adventures such as herein described may not fall to your lot,
oh, boy reader, but be assured that whenever you heed the call of the
Red Gods and hit the long trail you will find adventure of a degree
awaiting you, and you will return stronger physically and mentally for
having come in closer contact with the elemental forces which we term
nature.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

I. AN INTERRUPTED DREAM

II. PAT SEES WHITE MAGIC

III. THE BLUE TORTOISE PATROL

IV. "HELP!"

V. OFF FOR WOODCRAFT

VI. SNOW-SHOES AND FISH

VII. ON THE TRAIL

VIII. ALEC HINTS AT DARK THINGS

IX. SNOWBOUND

X. LIFE ON THE FUR TRAILS

XI. CHRISTMAS IN SMUGGLERS' HOLLOW

XII. A DEER YARD

XIII. POACHERS

XIV. THE SILVER FOX

XV. SPARRER'S TEMPTATION

XVI. THE CONFERENCE

XVII. THE CAMP OF THE POACHERS

XVIII. SMOKING OUT THE INDIAN

XIX. SPARRER SAVES THE SKIN

XX. THE BLACK FOX IS SOLD

ILLUSTRATIONS

HE SAW SOMETHING MOVE

HE JOTTED DOWN THE NUMBER

ONCE MORE THEY BUCKLED DOWN TO THE TASK

NOT TEN FEET AWAY WAS A BIG BUCK

FOR A FEW SECONDS HE STOOD MOTIONLESS

The Boy Scouts in a Trapper's Camp

CHAPTER I

AN INTERRUPTED DREAM

Walter Upton pushed aside books and papers, yawned, stretched, yawned
again, then settled back in his chair comfortably, his hands clasped
behind his head.

"I'm glad that vacation is only one week off," he murmured. "School is
all right, and I know I'm going to be mighty sorry when school-days end
for good. Just the same, this infernal grind to get a scholarship does
get a fellow's goat sometimes. If I don't win it I don't see how I can
go to college next year unless I can find some way to earn the money.
Poor old Dad! That slump in stocks pretty nearly bowled him over. Lucky
I thought of this scholarship when he tried to tell me that unless
business picked up he couldn't send me to college next year. It sure
did me good to see the shine in his eyes when I told him about this and
that I was going to win it. He's a great old scout, and I'm