that the bear has finished his supper,
and is begging for more, let's go over to the rest of the boys again."

"Yes, for goodness sake let's get away from here," the other scout said.
"Somehow or other I just know that beast feels a grudge against me.
There's Bumpus, as choice a morsel as you'd like to see; yet it's always
me the bear is watching. I sometimes believe that if he did get loose,
he'd be mean enough to try and make a meal off me."

"Well, if he can understand English, or even the actions of human
beings, you'd admit he's had good cause for disliking you," chuckled
Thad; "because all along you've put up quite a good-sized objection
against our wasting any more food on him. And animals can tell who their
friends are, you understand."

"Is that really so?" Giraffe remarked, uneasily; "then me for a tree if
ever he does break that chain. And I'm going to keep a way open under
the edge of the tent, so I can slide out while he's searching among the
lot for me. If I had a gun along. Thad, we might enjoy bear steak on
this trip yet."

"Pretty tough eating, believe me; and I'm just as well pleased that you
have no rifle," with which Thad threw himself down by the roaring fire,
the heat of which felt good, since with the coming of night the air had
become quite chilly.

Giraffe soon fell back on his shaving occupation again. Allan was
telling stories about the Maine woods, and enthusing his hearers, so
that even Smithy was heard to declare that he hoped they would some day
have a chance to visit that country, to see for themselves if it was as
fine as Allan pictured.

"I hope it will be in the early fall, then," remarked Allan; "because
then you would be in time for the late fishing, and the opening of the
deer season. That's the best time for going up into the Maine woods."

Davy Jones, who had gone down to the edge of the lake to listen to the
bass jumping as they fed upon some smaller species of fish, as
frequently happens at night time, came hurrying back to the fire just
then, his face filled with excitement. Thad saw at once that something
must have occurred to give the scout a shock; and he wondered whether it
could have anything to do with the mystery of the boat, and those
footprints over on the island.

"The ghost walked, fellers!" exclaimed Davy, as he caught his breath
again.

"What's all that silly talk mean, Davy?" demanded the scout-master.

"Well, he's been prowling around with a lantern,