and the lumber on it can't be worth a great
deal. I should think they could pick up a piece of real estate almost
anywhere that would be far more valuable than this."

"Now you're saying something that I've been thinking right along,"
answered Jack. "Even if they wanted this place for a summer resort, it
wouldn't bring any great sum of money."

"One thing is certain," said Fred; "they are very eager to get
possession."

"Yes. And another thing is certain, too," added Jack. "That is, Uncle
Barney isn't going to let them have it if he can possibly stop them."

The boys had had an early breakfast, and now they filled one of their
game bags with a well-cooked lunch, and also carried with them a thermos
bottle filled with hot chocolate.

"We don't want to run short on food," cautioned Andy. "Gee! what an
appetite this fresh air gives a fellow!"

"Right you are!" answered Fred. "I could eat five or six meals a day and
never mind it at all."

"I'm glad we have managed to bring down so many squirrels and rabbits,"
put in Randy. "If it wasn't for that, we might have run a little short
on eating. I'm a little bit tired of squirrel stew and rabbit potpie,
although they are a whole lot better than going hungry."

Barney Stevenson came out to see them off.

"Going down to that brook where you saw the mink?" he questioned,
referring to a tiny watercourse, now, of course, frozen up, located near
the southern end of the island.

"Yes. And maybe we'll get away down to the other cabin," answered Jack.
"We thought we'd like to take a look around there."

"And if we don't come back to-night, you'll know that we're staying at
that cabin," said Fred.

"Oh, we didn't calculate to stay out all night," put in Jack quickly.

"I know we didn't. But it's just possible it may get too late for us to
come back, and that cabin would be comfortable enough, especially if we
managed to drag in some pine boughs for beds."

"Well, don't shoot more than half a dozen minks--or half a dozen deer,
either!" shouted Uncle Barney after them; and then they started off and
were soon out of sight, skating along the eastern shore of Snowshoe
Island.

Left to himself, Uncle Barney began to pace the floor of his cabin
impatiently. Evidently the old lumberman was turning over something in
his mind--something which bothered him a great deal.

"Of course they are safe!" he murmured to himself. "It couldn't be
otherwise. The last time I looked, the tin