"Oh, I know that," answered Whopper. "I was only fooling. Say, it
will be fine to have roast duck for dinner to-morrow, eh?" And he
smacked his lips.

"Duck, stuffed with sage and onions!" murmured Giant, patting himself
in the region of the stomach.

"No stuffings in this," cried the doctor's son. "I just want pure
duck---a nice brown leg,---yum."

"Say, you make me duck-hungry already!" cried Whopper. "Let's go on,
unless we are going to stay here for the rest of the day."

Once again the oars were taken up, and with scarcely a sound they
moved along the shore of the lake. The sun was now well over to the
hills in the west, and the trees along the shore cast long shadows
over the rippling surface.

"No use of talking, such a spot as this is a regular Paradise," was
Snap's comment. "I can tell you, there isn't anything like a life
in the open!"

"Especially when it rains," suggested Giant.

"Or when you're caught in a blizzard," added Shep. "Do you remember
that blizzard last Christmas?"

"Will we ever forget it," answered Giant. "Just the same, what
Snap says is true---give me such an outing as this every time.
Some fellows are always hankering after the city---but I never did."

An hour later the young hunters reached the end of the lake, where
a small, rocky watercourse joined that body of water to Firefly
Lake. Here they went into camp, pitching their tent in a convenient
spot among the trees. Over a bright campfire they cooked some
of the fish to a turn, and took their time eating the meal. Then
they sat around and chatted, and Giant told his chums something
which interested them not a little.

CHAPTER X

THE STORY OF A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE

The boys were talking about money matters in general and inheritances
in particular when Giant mentioned the fact that his mother had some
money coming to her, but could not get possession of it.

"You know my mother came from France," said the small member of the
club. "She arrived in this country when she was about sixteen years
of age, coming with an uncle, who was her guardian. My uncle's name
was Pierre Dunrot, and he was by profession a teacher of ancient
history."

"No wonder you always get your history lessons so easily," was
Whopper's comment. "It must run in the blood."

"You keep quiet, Whopper, and let Giant tell us about this money,"
interposed Snap.

"After my mother was in this country about six years, she met my
f