Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/185

Rh had been erected. Near the tent, on the ground, lay portions of a camping outfit, and Snap wondered if it could be the things belonging to himself and his friends.

Suddenly the idea struck Snap to take a look at what might be near the water, and he moved in that direction. He had to pass through a fringe of brushwood and then he gained a tiny cove, well screened from the lake proper by a number of overhanging trees. Here it was so dark he could see but little. He felt his way along and soon reached a fair-sized boat, tied to a tree.

The craft was not the one belonging to his party and he was a trifle disappointed. Then he saw another boat and his heart gave a bound.

"It must be the Snapper!" he murmured and hurried to the second craft. But this proved to be nothing but a canoe, and again his heart sank.

"Maybe we've made a mistake after all," he thought dismally, but continued to move around the cove. To reach one point he had to push through some more bushes, and in the midst of these he fairly tumbled over a third boat, piled high with various camping things. He gave a close look and almost uttered a cry of triumph.

"Our boat, and all of our things! Here's luck at last!"