fe enough," answered Jack; and thereupon he and the
others told what they knew about the island and Barney Stevenson.

"That old lumberman must be quite a character," was Dick Rover's
comment. "Well, we'll see about this trip later," and there, for the
time being, the matter was dropped.

The boys had gotten home just two days before Christmas, and they spent
their entire time the next day in shopping for presents. In this they
were partly aided by Martha and Mary, especially when it came to
selecting presents for their mothers. Then, however, they sent the girls
away, so that they might buy something for them. Although they did not
mention this, Jack also wished to get a little reminder for Ruth, while
Fred was equally desirous of obtaining something for May.

Christmas dawned bright and clear, and many were the cries of joy which
rang throughout the three Rover households. All the young folks spent
over an hour in running back and forth, wishing this one and that one
"Merry Christmas!" Then came the distribution of presents.

"Just what I wanted!" cried Fred, as he inspected his pile of gifts.
There was a new watch, some gorgeous neckties, several books, and a
splendid little double-barrelled shotgun.

"Don't say a word! It couldn't be better!" came from Randy.

"The best Christmas ever!" echoed his twin. They, too, had numerous
gifts, including little diamond stickpins, new skates, some boxing
gloves, and bright-colored sweaters, into which their cousins had
knitted the initials C. H.

"Now, I presume, you'll be real Colby Hall cadets," said their mother,
when they had donned the sweaters and were strutting around in them.

"This sure is one grand Christmas!" said Jack. He, too, had fared well,
receiving a beautiful seal ring, a new traveling bag, completely
equipped, several sets of books for which he had longed greatly, and
also a small, but first-class, repeating rifle.

"Now we've certainly got to go on that hunt," remarked Fred, placing his
new shotgun beside the new rifle.

"Right you are, Fred!" responded Jack. "But first we're going to have
one dandy time down here in New York."

CHAPTER XIX

OFF FOR SNOWSHOE ISLAND

"What an awfully large place New York is!"

It was Ruth who uttered the words while she was taking a ride down Fifth
Avenue in company with Jack and his sister and several of the others.

It was the day after Christmas, and Spouter had arrived at noon,
bringing his cousi