thers laughed at the story, which neither of them had heard
before, old though it was.

"That's just about the haphazard way almanacs are built up," observed
Jack. "Of course in a few instances they do hit the truth; so could any
of us if we laid out a programme for a year ahead. It's natural to
expect hot weather along about this time of the summer; and such a spell
is always followed by a cooler period. So we'll take our ducking when it
comes, and not bother our heads too much ahead of that time."

While sitting there they mapped out their intended plans for the day.
Jack figured on starting out a little later, and securing some more
photographs. Steve, not wanting to spend another day in camp, asked
permission to accompany him.

"Certainly you can come along, Steve," he was told; "if you think your
heel is equal to the long jaunt, because I may cover quite a good many
miles before coming back to camp again. How about that? I wouldn't like
you to start limping, and be in misery for hours."

"Oh! the old thing seems to be all right this morning, Jack," Steve
assured him. "That salve was sure a magic one, let me tell you, and took
all the pain out of the rubbed place. I've found a way to prevent it
ever hurting again; and right now I'd be equal to a twenty-mile tramp if
necessary."

"How about you, Toby, will you mind acting as camp guardian for today?
Tomorrow one of us might want to go over to the river with you, and have
a try at the bass; but on the whole, I think it would be wise to keep
watch over our things."

Jack said this seriously, so they knew he was not joking.

"Why, do you really think that man, or any one else, for that matter,
would actually _steal_ things from us?" demanded Steve, frowning as
he spoke, and perhaps unconsciously clenching his fists pugnaciously.

"I'm only guessing, remember," Jack informed him. "It might be a raid on
our camp would be made during our absence. Don't you see, if our being
up here annoyed certain people, the quickest way they could get rid of
us would be to steal all our eatables while we were away from camp. We
couldn't stick it out and go hungry, could we? Well, on that account
then we'd better keep a watch."

"Jack, you're right!" snapped Toby, while Steve looked even more aroused
than ever at the bare possibility of such a calamity overtaking them;
for Steve, as we happen to know, was a good eater, and nothing could
appall him more than the prospect of all t