Four Boy Hunters Part 39

This was thought a good plan, and Snap and Shep went forward, slowly and cautiously, until they gained the very edge of the clearing.

"I see smoke coming out of the chimney," said Snap. "That would seem to show he is still there."

The door to the old cottage was tightly closed, and growing bolder, the two young hunters walked to it and knocked loudly.

"See that he doesn't slip out the other way," whispered Snap to his chum, and Shep at once ran around to the other side of the building.

As there was no answer to the summons, Snap knocked on the door a second time. Still there was no response.

"Guess I'll go in," he murmured, and pushed the door open.

The apartment beyond was the living-room of the old cottage and a glance showed him a smouldering fire in the fireplace. n.o.body was visible.

From the kitchen the boy hunter went into the room beyond and then ran upstairs.

"See anybody?" called Shep, as Snap showed himself at a broken-out window.

"No. Call the others."

Shep did as requested, and soon all of the young hunters were making an investigation of the premises.

"He must have gone away this morning," said Giant. "See how the fire is still burning."

"I wish I knew where he had gone to," said Snap, with a long sigh.

"Perhaps we can find out if we search closely."

In the cottage they found the remains of some meals the stranger had had, and also some sc.r.a.ps of paper, including an envelope addressed to Lusher Barrock.

"I wonder if that is his name?" said Snap.

"More than likely," answered Giant. "Did you ever hear of him before?"

"No."

They tried to put the pieces of paper together, but the effort was a failure.

"Here is where he did some figuring," said Whopper, pointing to the board, which contained numerous pencil marks. "Maybe---hullo!

look here!"

"What's up now?" asked Snap, running forward.

"Here is the name of Andrew Felps!"

"Felps!" came from all of the others in a chorus.

"Can that man have been here?" asked Giant.

"I must say, I don't understand this," came from Snap. "But I have got an idea."

"What is it, Snap?"

"Of course I may be all wrong, but I'll give it to you for what it is worth. Do you remember what my father said about those papers?"

"That they related to a certain patch of timber land?" said Giant.

"Yes; and that the Felps people wanted to get hold of the patch.

Well, this Lusher Barrock may be hanging around here trying to sell the papers."

"To sell them?" said Shep, looking puzzled.

"Exactly. They are of no use to him, but they might be of use to Andrew Felps and his lumber company."

"You mean that by getting the papers Felps might keep your folks from cutting down the lumber on that tract?"

"Yes, and more. Felps may have some way of getting hold of the land himself, if these papers are destroyed. I don't know the whole truth of the case, but I know my father wanted the papers and he didn't want Andrew Felps to learn that they were missing."

"Snap, I think you have struck the truth," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Shep. "I don't know of anything else that would bring this Barrock---if that's his name---to this locality. He must be watching his chance to meet Andrew Felps."

"Would Felps be mean enough to buy the papers from him?" asked Whopper. "Why, that would be dishonest!"

"I think that man is mean enough for anything!" burst out Giant, who was not inclined to forget how badly he and his chums had been treated by the individual in question.

"If this is true, Snap, the best thing we can do is to go over to the Felps camp and watch out for this Lusher Barrock," said Shep.

"And that is what I am going to do," answered Snap.

"When will you go?" questioned Whopper.

"As soon as possible."

"We can't get to the camp very well from here. We'll have to go back to Firefly Lake first."

"Do you suppose this Barrock went that way?"

"Maybe he did, or else he knows of some trail over the mountain."

"Well, we can go back to the lake, and then start for Lake Cameron without delay," said Snap, and so it was settled.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE BOY HUNTERS AND A BEAR

The boys stopped to get dinner and then hurried back to the cabin with all possible speed.