lower side they passed
the mouth of the real Otter Run. This enabled Ned to fix their bearings
definitely on the map, and he resolved to keep close track of the
topography of the creek in the future.

About six o'clock a beautiful place to camp was found on the left shore
of the creek; shade was abundant, and the soil was level and grassy. A
few yards up the beach a spring bubbled and spurted from a nest of
rocks.

As the boys landed a flock of wild ducks flew up with a great splashing,
and winged their way down the creek. Along the opposite shore, which was
flat and marshy, yellow-legged snipe were running to and fro, a couple
of gray herons standing contentedly on one leg, were gobbling minnows
from the shallow pools.

This was now Thursday evening. It would be a week on the morrow since
the Jolly Rovers had started on their cruise. They were so pleased with
the location of the camp, and the opportunities it seemed to offer that
they concluded to remain for a while, and here they spent Friday,
Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The keen and peaceful enjoyments of those four days were in vivid
contrast to the turbulent, adventurous life the boys had led during the
past week. They looked back upon it afterward as the brightest period of
their cruise.

Sunday was spent quietly in camp, but the remainder of the time was
filled up with all sorts of occupations. Randy shot numerous snipe and
woodcock. Clay and Nugget gave their attention to fishing, and caught
altogether some thirty or forty large bass--not counting the trout which
they snared in a neighboring brook.

Ned found his keenest enjoyment in wandering over the country from
farmhouse to farmhouse and bringing back tempting supplies. He was a
born forager, and well understood the art of making bargains with the
farmers.

The boys lived on the fat of the land, and at very slight cost. The diet
of fish and game was constantly varied by green corn, new potatoes,
sometimes peaches or melons, and occasionally a plump duck or chicken.
Only on one day did it rain, and this merely served to make the fish
bite better.

But each and every one of the Jolly Rovers had the true instinct of the
canoeist, and when Monday's sun dropped redly behind the hills they were
eager to start afresh on their wanderings. Their arms tingled to grasp
the paddle and drive the graceful canoe over the blue water; they longed
to explore the great unknown territory that lay in front of them,