lake they had waited there for some time and at last Mr. Anderson,
remembering the instructions that Mr. Waterman had given, had started
down the stream to find them. He said that they did not have a very long
distance to go.

Mr. Anderson's appearance had acted like a tonic and the boys followed
him eagerly. They soon heard voices and in a moment more they saw Mr.
Waterman and Bill sitting on a big log by the shore of the lake right
near where the stream ran from the lake. Bill kidded Bob and Pud about
getting lost.

"I didn't get lost," replied Bob. "Pud thought that by going down into
the valley and then up the stream that we would beat you here."

"It was much longer," said Mr. Waterman. "We merely skirted the edge of
the mountain and came here almost directly."

"It's a good thing that Bob was with me," said Pud.

"How so?" asked Mr. Anderson.

"I got mixed up when I got to the stream and I wanted to go down the
stream instead of up," replied Pud.

"Well, why didn't you then?" asked Bill.

"Bob was sure we had to go up stream and he insisted on going in that
direction," admitted Pud.

"You have to use your old bean up here," said Bill. "When in doubt, Pud,
leave it to Bob. He's full of gray matter whereas--"

"Don't 'whereas' any more, Bill, or I'll give you a ducking," said Pud,
as he cornered Bill so that if he rushed him, he would have to go out
into the lake.

"All right, all right," said Bill. "I'll keep my further remarks about
beans, mentality, cerebellum, etc., until we're ready for the swim."

"You'd better," said Pud strongly.

They all then got into their canoes and got back to camp to find there
an air of mystery that was noted at once by their leaders and shortly
later by the boys. Joe got Mr. Waterman aside right away and what he had
to say made him look very serious. Just then Jack came up and Mr.
Waterman listened to him very carefully. Mr. Anderson was called over
and the boys saw the four of them talking very seriously together.

"I wonder what's up," said Bob. "Something has gone wrong but I don't
see anything the matter with the camp, do you?"

"Not a thing," replied Bill. Pud looked around in his easy-going
fashion, just as if nothing could disturb him anyway.

Mr. Anderson and Mr. Waterman did not offer any explanation when they
came back to the boys and they soon were in the water having a fine
swim. Later on they found that in some mysterious way a bag of flour, a
fitch