nstance on record of their having killed a
man, woman, or child in this country. There are convicts and other
outlaws in the Ten Thousand Islands. They may steal something from
your camp, but they won't harm you. Some of them are bad men, and
when they kill their own kind, people here don't mind it, but the
outlaws know that the community wouldn't stand for their hurting any
of you boys."

Dick was ashamed when he got up to breakfast to find that Mr.
Streeter and Johnny had been at work for an hour and had got
everything ready for a start, even to the mosquito-bar, which one of
the family had already made.

The outfit consisted of a fly-rod, with reel, line and flies; rifle
and shot-gun, with fifty cartridges for each; pair grains, harpoon,
line and pole; cast-net, fish hooks and lines; forks, tin-cups and
plates, two each; light axe, saucepan and frying-pan; piece of
waterproofed canvas, six by eight feet; lantern, kerosene, and bag
of salt; white bacon, hominy and corn meal, five lbs. each; canoe,
two paddles and one long oar; five gallon can of water, and bucket;
waterproof box filled with matches.

Each of the boys carried a clasp knife and a pocket, watertight
match safe.

Nothing had been loaded on the canoe, as Mr. Streeter wanted to be
sure that Dick could stay in it, before he filled it with goods that
water might harm. He was soon satisfied on this point, for although
Dick got into the canoe with exceeding care, he kept his balance
perfectly, and after the first few strokes appeared perfectly at
home in the craft. He paddled for a few minutes kneeling on the
bottom of the boat, then sitting on a thwart, and finally came back
to the dock sitting on the stern, while the bow of the canoe tilted
up in the air. Then Johnny got in with him and the boys maneuvered
the craft until Mr. Streeter called out to them:

"You kids are all right and don't need to waste any more time.
Better pack up and be off, and save half a day." They loaded the
canoe carefully and took their positions, Dick in the stern and
Johnny in the bow. Then lifting their caps to the family, who had
come down to the dock to see them off, the boys dipped their paddles
together in the river and began Dick's hunt for his chum.

CHAPTER VI

DICK'S HUNT FOR HIS CHUM

An hour's paddling brought Dick and Johnny to the mouth of Turner's
River, up which they headed the canoe. A strong tide setting up the
river nearly doubled their speed.