our later, when the four cadets were tramping through the woods
again to resume their hunting.

"I'm sure I don't know, Randy," was the slow reply. "Evidently he was
very bitter over something."

"Having the same name, it looks to me as if this Uncle Barney, as they
call him, might be some relative of Ruth's family," said Fred.

"More than likely."

"Maybe he's some cast-off relation, who got into trouble with them and
then took himself off to that Snowshoe Island," was Fred's comment.

"I'd have asked him some more questions if he hadn't acted so ugly about
it," went on Jack.

"Yes. But he seemed to be a very nice sort of man otherwise," put in
Andy quickly.

"I agree with you there." Jack gave a little sigh. "There must be some
mystery to it."

"Why don't you ask Ruth about it some time?"

"I will, when I get a good chance to do it. Of course, if it's some sort
of family affair, I'm not going to butt in."

Before the Rover boys had left the cabin of Bill Hobson, they had been
assured by old Uncle Barney that he was feeling fairly comfortable and
that the owner of the place would look after him until he recovered.
Barney Stevenson had mentioned Snowshoe Island several times, and had
told the boys again that he was sorry he could not reward them for
coming to his assistance, but that if they ever cared to visit his
island, he would do his best to make them feel at home and show them
where the best hunting in that vicinity was to be had. He had also
mentioned the fact that there was a vacant cabin close to his own on the
island, and that they would be welcome to camp out there at any time
they chose to do so.

"I'd like to visit his place some time," said Fred, "just to see how the
old fellow lives. I'll bet he's got quite a comfortable outfit there."

"He may live in very queer style," returned Randy. "According to what he
says, and what that Bill Hobson told me, he must be a good deal of a
hermit."

"Maybe he committed some sort of crime and the other Stevensons cast him
off," suggested Andy.

"Oh, I can't think that! He didn't look to be a criminal," returned
Jack. "Don't you remember what he said about taking up his residence on
the island after his wife died? Maybe that loss made him feel as if he
didn't want to mingle with the rest of the world."

The boys talked the matter over for some time, but could reach no
conclusion whatever regarding the way the old lumberman had acted when
Frederic Stev