t."

"Shadow shall lead the way," said Dave. "Go ahead, old fellow."

"I--er--I don't know the path," was the quick excuse. "You go on." And
Shadow dropped behind once more and stuck there during the remainder of
the trip.

The cabin was built of rough logs. It had been put up by some hunters
years before, but the sportsmen, owing to the scarcity of game, did not
come to the place any more. It was in a dilapidated condition, and the
snow had driven in through the broken-out window and open doorway.

"Not a very cheerful place," observed Dave, as he led the way inside.
"Let us light a torch, so we can see things."

They procured several pine sticks and soon had them lit, and holding
these aloft surveyed the scene. All was very much as it had been during
their former visit.

"Nothing new, so far as I can see," was Roger's comment.

"Here are some footprints in the snow," came from Messmer. "We didn't
make those."

"Those are the footprints of some animal!" cried Dave. "Maybe there's a
bear here after all." He smiled as he made the remark.

"Looks to me more like the tracks of a horse," answered Henshaw. "Maybe
somebody came over here from the shore on horseback."

"You want to be careful--it may be a wild beast after all," observed
Shadow, nervously.

At that moment came a queer sound from outside of the cabin, which
caused all of the lads to start. Messmer, who had the best of the
torches, dropped it, leaving them almost in darkness.

"Why, I declare----" began Dave, when a form darkened the doorway and
the next instant a big, bony mule entered the old cabin and stood among
them. Some of the boys were frightened and started to retreat.

"It's only a mule!" cried Dave. "I don't think he'll hurt anybody. But
how in the world did he get here?"

"His halter is broken," declared Roger. "He must have run away from
somewhere."

"I know that mule," declared Shadow. "He belongs to Mike Marcy."

The man he mentioned was a farmer, living in the Oakdale district. Marcy
was a close-fisted fellow who never wanted the schoolboys to have any of
his fruit, and Dave, through no fault of his own, had once had
considerable trouble with the fellow.

"I think Shadow is right," said Dave. "I saw that mule around Marcy's
place. If he ran away we ought to take him back to where he belongs."

"Perhaps you'd have some fun trying to ride him," suggested Henshaw.

"Oh, pshaw! anybody could ride that mule," declared Roger. "Why