not understand, though,
why it should interest any one to know that they intended to camp at
any particular spot on the lake shore, since there were many miles to
choose from.

"Oh! my name is Gilbert Dennison. I've been at college, and mean to
spend my vacation playing golf. You see they do say I'm runner-up
among the amateurs on the green links. Sent my clubs and luggage off
yesterday, and was on the way to the train to-day when the horse
smashed a wheel of the rig. I had to put out afoot, for, you see, I
wouldn't miss making that train for a good deal, because of the
match."

He took out his watch and held it in a hand that hardly trembled in
the least, which Frank thought rather remarkable, seeing what a strain
had been upon him lately. Altogether, Frank considered him the coolest
person he had ever met. If he could control his nerves in this fashion
when playing in a match it was no wonder he was looked upon as a
coming wonder on the golf links, where such a gift counts heavily.

"You must excuse me for rushing off in such a beastly hurry, fellows!"
Gilbert exclaimed, as he looked around for his bag, which,
fortunately, had not fallen over the precipice at the time he
stumbled; "some other time perhaps I'll run in on you at your camp,
and be able to thank you in a more decent way for giving me a lift. I
think I can make that train in half an hour."

Bluff and Jerry had not a word to say. They stood and stared at the
other, astonished beyond measure. Really in all their experiences far
and wide they had never met with such a self-possessed young person as
this.

He picked up his bag, waved them a flippant good-bye, and then
actually started to run down the slope. Bluff scratched his head and
grinned, while Jerry exclaimed in disgust.

"Gee whiz! if that wasn't the queerest thing ever! You'd think he'd
just stubbed his toe, and we happened along in time to help him rub
the same. He sure is a cool customer, believe me, fellows!"

"Such base ingratitude I never ran across," ventured Will,
indignantly. "Why, only for Frank's fetching that grape-vine along,
and our pulling him up so neatly, he'd have had to let go his hold
before now. And say, it was all of thirty feet down to the bottom of
the hole from the rock he held on to; an ugly fall, I'd call it."

"Oh! well," observed Frank, more amused than otherwise by the singular
circumstance, "when a fellow pursues any fad as he does golf he seems
to chase it ju