bered reading what old Israel Putnam, the
Revolutionary hero, did when a mere stripling, entering the den of a
savage wolf, and dragging the beast out after him.

Well, in a way Thad was doing just as brave an act. True, those whom he
had reason to fear, were human beings like himself; but they must be
cruel men, since he knew them to be desperate characters; and if they
discovered him invading their retreat, no doubt they would attack him
with the ferocity of wolves.

He found himself in a passage-way among the rocks. It had evidently been
well traveled by the feet or knees of the men who may have long
concealed themselves in the snug retreat; while officers were searching
the surrounding country in a vain quest for clues to their hiding-place.

Thad started when he suddenly heard a gruff voice; it sounded so very
close by, that his first thought was he had been discovered. But as he
caught the words that were spoken he realized his mistake.

"Mebbe ye'll be sorry now, ye bothered a couple of poor fellers atryin'
hard to make a few honest dollars a takin' game out of season, an'
sellin' the same to the rich folks what jest has to have it any ole
time. Jest sit up, an' tell me what yer friends are thinkin' of doin'
'bout it."

Then Thad was thrilled to hear the voice of his chum respond. Evidently,
if the men had kept some sort of muffler over Smithy's mouth during the
time they were bringing him to their underground retreat, it had now
been removed, as if they no longer feared that he would bring the others
down upon them.

"Why, you see, we just wanted to explore this queer island, and that's
all there is to it. Yes, we did rather guess that somebody must have
been taking fish or game when the law was shut down on it; but then, you
see, that was none of our business. We're just Boy Scouts off on a
camping trip; and nobody's employed us to bother with game poachers, or
send word to the wardens."

"Game wardens, hey? Ye seem to let that slip off yer tongue, younker,
like ye might be used to sayin' the same. What we want to know is, why
are ye so pesky anxious like to look this here island over? Lost
anything here?"

"Well, a boat we had seems to have disappeared in a funny way," Smithy
said; and Thad could not notice anything like a tremble in the
tenderfoot's voice, which fact pleased him greatly.

"Huh! thet boat belonged to us in the fust place, younker, an' ye hooked
it from us. Spect ye thought boats jes