?" mused Jerry,
as the yacht swung around the north point of Hermit Island, that spot
where Blumpo had so strangely found his father.

"Don't I, though!" cried Harry. "I wonder if they are out of the
reformatory yet for setting fire to the barn?"

"I heard da was," put in Blumpo, who now attended school regularly. "Si
Peters got out las' month, an' Wash Crosby got out six weeks ago."

"Well, I hope they turn out better boys now," said Harry, seriously. "I
don't see why they want to get into such trouble. A fellow can have lots
of sport without doing wrong."

"By the way, Harry, the great yacht race comes off in Long Lake in a few
weeks," said Jerry. "Why can't we take our yacht down through the river
and be on deck to see it?"

"By golly, dat would be most splendiferous!" yelled Blumpo. "De best t'ing
I've dun heard of dis Summah!"

"I've thought of it," returned Harry. He turned to the old tar. "Jack,
could we take the Whistler down through Poplar River to Long Lake?"

"I reckon we could," was the slow answer, as Jack Broxton rolled his quid
from one cheek to the other. "The water is running putty high now."

"It would be a fine trip in itself," went on Jerry. "I've never sailed
down the Poplar beyond Carlville."

"Nor I," returned Harry. "But never mind that just now. Here we are at the
landing."

"An' heah am my father's house," said Blumpo.

The former hermit, now, however, a hermit no longer, came out to greet his
son. In the meantime all hands lowered sail and tied up.

It was a beautiful day, and the young oarsman and Harry had come over to
the island to see what they could shoot. They left Jack in charge of the
yacht and Blumpo with his father, and started off with guns and game bags
for the interior.

"There can't be much game at this season of the year," said Harry. "But we
may have a little sport, and tramping in the woods does a fellow lots of
good."

"Indeed I know that," was the quick response. "Hullo, here's a nasty bit
of bog to cross."

"We'll go around by yonder big tree."

The two boys went on in a semi-circle. When the big tree mentioned was
reached Jerry stepped on what he supposed was one of the twisted roots.

A second later he let out a yell which was heard down to the landing.

He sprang back so suddenly that he bumped into Harry, who was close
behind, and both rolled over in the wet grass.

Ere they could rise they heard an angry hiss, and a snake darted from the
tree an