the new laws go into effect."

Placing the rabbits in a gamebag, the two chums walked on, past the
clump of spruces and then across a little clearing. Here, much to
their surprise, they came in sight of a dilapidated cabin. It was
a small affair of rough logs with a rude stone chimney and one
window and one door. One end of the cabin sagged greatly, as if
on the point of falling down.

"I hadn't any idea this was here," was the comment of the doctor's
son. "Wonder who it can belong to?"

"Perhaps some hunters put it up in days gone by," returned Whopper.
"It doesn't look as if it was inhabited."

"Let's go in and take a look around," suggested Shep. It was his
delight to poke around in new and odd places.

"We don't want to lose time," was his chum's reply. "It will be
dark before you know it."

"Oh, it won't take long to look," answered Shep.

The old cabin was surrounded by weeds and bushes, and they had to
fairly work their way to the doorway.

"Somebody has been here, that's certain," cried the doctor's son.
"Here are eggshells and newly picked chicken feathers."

"Hello, in there!" cried Whopper, poking his head into the small
doorway. He could not see, for the cabin inside was dark.

Scarcely had the word been uttered when a most surprising thing
happened. Something whizzed through the air, directly between
the heads of the two boy hunters. It was a good-sized chunk of
wood, and it struck a rock outside with a thud.

"Why---why---stop that!" stammered Whopper, and fell back, and Shep
did the same.

"Evidently somebody doesn't want visitors," was the comment of the
doctor's son. "I say," he called out, "what do you mean by heaving
that wo-----"

Crash! From the interior of the cabin came another chunk of wood,
a gnarled root, just grazing Shep's shoulder. Then a stone followed,
striking Whopper a glancing blow on the hip. Both lads retreated in
confusion.

"Well, of all things!" gasped the doctor's son when he could get his
breath. "That's a cordial welcome, I must say."

"Have you any idea who it was?"

"Not the slightest. It was too dark to see anybody."

"Couldn't be any of the Ham Spink crowd?"

"No. I don't think they'd treat us in just that way."

"Maybe it's some crazy chap."

"That's more like it---some hermit like old Peter Peterson," returned
Shep, referring to an old man who lived near the lakes and who
rarely showed himself in any of the settlements.

"Peter