se. "Come on,
let's go away now, and I'll tell you what it is."

Growling and grumbling, the four visitors made their way slowly to the
lake shore. As they skated off, Slugger Brown turned to shake his fist
at the Rovers, and Nappy did likewise.

"Well, they've gone!" exclaimed Fred, and his voice showed his relief.

"But there's no telling when they'll come back," said Randy quickly.

"I don't think they'll come back in a hurry," broke in Andy. "We scared
them pretty thoroughly with our guns."

"What did they say to you before I came?" questioned Uncle Barney, while
the party on the lake was disappearing in the gloom.

Thereupon the boys related the particulars of all that had taken place,
the old lumberman listening closely to the recital. At the end, he shut
his teeth and shook his head grimly.

"The rascals!" he ejaculated. "If it hadn't been for you, they would
most likely have ransacked both of the cabins, and maybe, if they had
gotten hold of my extra gun or my pistol, taken possession and made me
keep away."

"Oh, they would have taken possession all right enough!" cried Jack.
"But if the island is really yours, Uncle Barney, I don't see why you
couldn't have had them arrested for anything like that."

"I told you before--I have no use for lawyers or law courts," grumbled
the old lumberman. "All I want to do is to stay here and not be
disturbed. I've got my deeds, and that's enough."

"Are you sure they are in a safe place?" questioned Jack. "I mean, some
place where those rascals can't get at them?"

"I've got 'em in a tin box, and put away safe enough."

"I hope you haven't got them hidden around one of the cabins," said
Fred. "They'd be sure to find them if they came here some time when you
were away, and made a search."

"I haven't got 'em in or near either of the cabins. I've got 'em in a
better place than that," was the cunning reply.

"You really ought to have them recorded, Uncle Barney; and then maybe it
wouldn't be a bad scheme to put them in a safe deposit box in a bank,"
said Jack.

"Oh, they're safe enough--don't you fear!" answered the old man. It was
plainly to be seen that he was bound to have his own way in everything
he did.

Satisfied that the visitors had left the island for the time being, the
boys followed the old lumberman into his own cabin, and there helped him
to start up the fire. He told them that he had shipped off the wild
turkey as desired.

The evening passed