aradise River lies from our camp?"

"Oh! not more than ten minutes' walk from here, I imagine, and in that
direction," and Jack pointed as he spoke, showing that he already had
his bearings pretty well fixed in his mind.

"Why do you suppose those loggers ever made camp here when they expected
to get their timber out through the river, and the lake below, perhaps
shipping by way of Chester?"

Toby asked this question as though he sought information, and if so, he
appealed to the right person, for Jack was quick to reply.

"Why, I understand that the ground lies pretty low down by the river,
Toby; and a camp there might be in danger of being flooded out with the
spring rise. You know Paradise River does get on a tear some years, and
pours into our lake like mad. These lumbermen had long heads, and didn't
mean to take chances of being drowned out of their camp. This higher
ground served them better, just as it will us now. That's the only
answer I can think of."

"And it comes mighty near being the true one, I'm telling you, Toby,"
affirmed Steve, positively. "I'm right glad we've been wise enough to
look out for that sort of thing. Huh! had one nasty experience of being
flooded in a camp, where we had to wade up to our necks in the stream
that grew in a night, for the little island was all under water. No more
of that sort of thing for this chicken, thank you."

They talked until all of them began to grow sleepy. Then the horse was
looked after for the last time, and found to be lying down, well
satisfied with the feed of oats and sweet grass that had made up his
supper.

Inside the tent there was plenty of room, for the three intending
sleepers. Apparently Mr. Whitlatch, the photographer, carried quite a
lot of paraphernalia with him when going off on his periodical
excursions, taking pictures of Nature as found in the vicinity of
Chester; and meant to have an abundance of room in which to keep his
camera and other traps safe from the heavy rainfalls that frequently
deluged that section of country.

Making themselves comfortable, the three boys tried to compose
themselves for the sleep they needed so much, for very likely none of
them had rested soundly on the last night under the family rooftree, on
account of nervous anticipations of the fun in store for them.

It turned out a difficult thing to do. Going to sleep away from the
surroundings with which they were familiar excited them so much that
even though