kind
game law protected him from all harm.

"Say, let me tell you this old Sassy swamp isn't such a bad place for a
game preserve after all," said Toby; "I think some of us could enjoy
having a week up here, after the law on bears and all such was up. But
it's too far from home during the school session, for us to come."

"Oh! I don't know about that," remarked the tall scout, meditatively;
"we could borrow a car, and start in the middle of the night when there
was a moon. That'd give us a whole day up here. Take it at
Thanksgiving and we could make it three, with Friday and Saturday
thrown in. Elmer, think it over, won't you?"

"Plenty of time for that," he was assured; "We've got our hands full as
it is, without borrowing trouble."

"And perwaps before we're done with it," Ted croaked, "you'll be that
tired of seeing nothing but thwamp all around, that you'll vow never
again for yourth."

"I'm going to make a proposition, Elmer," said Landy; "and I hope
you'll agree. Suppose we go ashore and tackle some of those elegant
blueberries ourselves? It's a shame that bears should be the only ones
to enjoy such a feast. And it's tough sitting here so long!"

At that Lil Artha grunted, and looking almost savagely at the speaker
nodded his head while he muttered:

"That settles it, my boy; I see your finish. You're going to earn your
salt after this, no matter what happens!"

Elmer seemed to consider for a few seconds.

"I see no reason why we shouldn't pull up for a little while, just as
you say, Landy," he observed, to the delight of the rest; "and everyone
of us is fond of a mess of good ripe blueberries. So pitch in while
the supply lasts."

The berries were thicker and larger than any they had ever seen before;
and Lil Artha declared he considered the judgment of the little black
bear "prime."

"He sure knew a good thing when he found it, and so do we," he told
those who were working fingers and jaws near him.

When Elmer concluded that "enough was as good as a feast," they once
more embarked, and the voyage was resumed. There was a new pusher in
the older skiff, however.

"Here, you Landy, suppose you change seats with me," Lil Artha had
remarked as the fat scout started to settle down in the middle of the
boat, just as though he had a mortgage on that prize seat.

Landy looked worried.

"What for, Lil Artha?" he ventured to say, looking at the skipper with
distress plainly marked on his ro