given us?" asked Dick.

"Giddap," retorted Dr. Bentley, giving his machine a start. "I helped
introduce four of you boys to this world, so I'm in a measure
responsible for you."

"Stop at the drug store, Joe," Dick called out, as the horses were
started.

"Say, wasn't that fine of Dr. Bentley?" glowed Dick, as they rode along.

"Sure," nodded Dan, "but our folks will find it somewhere in their
bills, between now and summer."

"Dan, for that," warned Prescott, "we'll wash your face in the first
snow that falls out in the woods."

"We surely will," confirmed Tom Reade.

The stop at the drug store was made, whereby the cash capital was
lowered by eighty cents. Then Dick & Co. were off in earnest.

So late had the start been made that the boys did not expect to reach
their log cabin until after two o'clock. Over Christmas most of the snow
had disappeared. There was not enough for good sledding, but just enough
to make the going on wheels rather difficult.

Before noon, appetite asserted itself. Fortunately the boys had brought
along lunches for use on the road. These were devoured with much relish,
Joe Miller, of course, being invited to share with them.

By one o'clock the horses headed into the forest. For the first mile or
so there was a fair sort of road, but after that it dwindled down to
something more like a trail.

"Isn't this grand, Joe?" exclaimed Greg.

"What?" demanded Joe.

"This great old forest, this silence, this grandeur of solitary nature?"

"It ought to do first rate for lunatics, and such like," answered Joe,
gazing with disfavor at the bare trees and desolate looking bushes.
"What have you boys been doing that you've got to spend a fortnight away
from comfortable livin'?"

"Why, we're doing this for pleasure," said Dan Dalzell.

"Humph!" muttered Joe, and there the matter rested.

It was nearly half past two when the horses were finally hauled up
before the log cabin. But now the truck was bare of boys. Dick & Co. had
leaped overboard the instant they came in sight of the cabin, and had
scampered on before for a look at the place.

"Say, this is great!" cried Greg. "The old cabin looks good and solid,
too."

"But how do you get in?" queried Dan, bracing his shoulder against the
door and pushing hard. "The place seems to be locked."

More boys tried their shoulders against the door, but it did not yield.

"We'll have to try the windows," proposed Dave. "Hurry and see if
they're