ers said that they were perfectly safe and could make the journey to
Mirror Lake without trouble. So, having transferred the baggage from the
automobiles to these ancient vehicles, and having placed the
touring-cars in the garage, with orders to have the damaged car
repaired, our friends piled into the turnouts, and then, with various
calls to the animals and loud crackings of the whips, the two stages
started for Bear Camp.

CHAPTER XIII

AT BEAR CAMP

"Talk about the old-time coaching days!" remarked Dave. "I don't believe
they were any worse than this."

"Oh, Dave, you mustn't find fault!" cried Jessie. "We'll soon be there,
I hope."

"Providing we don't go down in some hole and break off a wheel," put in
Roger. "Say, this road is some rough!"

"I'll have it rolled down for you the next time, Roger!" cried Phil,
gaily. "Just imagine yourself in the wild West, in one of the old-time
overland coaches, with the Indians in full pursuit. How about that,
Belle?"

"It sounds good enough for a dime novel," answered the girl from the
West. "Personally I never saw any Indians in pursuit of a stage-coach or
anything else. The Indians around Star Ranch were as peaceable as one
could wish."

Over the rough and rather narrow trail bumped the two stage-coaches. Our
friends frequently found themselves bounced off the seats, and more
than once they were in danger of cracking their heads against the roofs
of the turnouts. It was growing dark, and the only lights the drivers
had were their smoking lanterns. Inside of the stage-coaches the boys
had their hand flashlights, which they used occasionally to illuminate
the scene.

"Never mind! Don't you care!" cried Phil, and then added: "What's the
matter with a song?"

"Let's give them our old Oak Hall song!" exclaimed Dave, and a moment
later he started their old favorite, sung to the tune of "Auld Lang
Syne."

"Oak Hall we never shall forget,
No matter where we roam,
It is the very best of schools,
To us it's just like home.
Then give three cheers, and let them ring
Throughout this world so wide,
To let the people know that we
Elect to here abide!"

"Oh, how splendid!" was Belle's comment. "Please sing it again," and
they did.

Then they followed with a number of familiar songs. The sound was caught
up by those in the second coach, and soon they too were singing lustily.

"Gosh-all-hemlock!" was the comment of the st