neven, with
many gullies and little streams flowing over the rocks. More
than once they thought they heard somebody or some animal moving
but the sound proved to be nothing but the falling water. Once
Shep stepped into a hollow and was scared by the sudden appearance
of several big bullfrogs.

"Wish they were rabbits or squirrels, I might shoot them," he said.

"Well, you can shoot the frogs if you wish," answered Snap. "The
hind legs are as sweet as squirrel meat."

"I know that---but I'm not out for frogs just now. I want to find
that boat."

The two young hunters covered a quarter of a mile when they came out
on a small point of land overlooking the broad lake. As they, did
this Snag uttered a cry:

"What is that out yonder, Shep?"

"Why, I declare, it looks like the boat!"

"Just what I was thinking. How can we get to her?"

"I don't know---unless we swim over."

"Is anybody on board?"

"I can't make out---in fact, I am not at all sure it is the boat,"
was the slow answer.

The object they had discovered was quite a distance out on the lake
and the light from their torches reached it but faintly. The thing
was drifting down the lake slowly, and as they watched it almost
passed from view.

"Here, this won't do," cried Snap. "If it is the boat we must
catch her and bring her in."

"It's kind of cold swimming---this time of night," answered the
doctor's son, who did not relish such a bath.

"Here, you hold my things and I'll swim out," declared Snap, "I
don't think the water is any colder now than in the day time."

He was soon ready for the plunge, and noting the direction in
which the object had last been seen, he waded into the water.
The first touch felt icy, but after he had ducked down and taken
a few strokes it did not seem so bad. He struck out lustily,
and Shep held up both torches, that he might have some light by
which to guide himself.

Snap was a good swimmer, but the object out on the lake was further
away than he had calculated, and it took him fully five minutes to
get in the vicinity of it. The sky had clouded over a bit, hiding
the stars, so he could see little or nothing on the water. On the
shore he could see the two torches that the doctor's son was waving
and that was all.

At last Snap saw the dark object directly ahead of him. By this
time he was somewhat exhausted by his swim and he was glad to
think that he would soon be able to rest. Then he made a discov