in string the light goes off and so does the camera, and the
picture is taken. If you want to, you can bait the string."

"Say, that's great!" cried Giant.

"I'd like to lay the game low---after I had the picture," was
Snap's comment.

"We can do that, too---sometimes."

After that the doctor's son gave his chums more details of what his
parent had said. All the boys were sure they could go out again,
for their return home from their previous trip had not been expected
by their parents.

"Were you thinking we might meet Ham Spink and his crowd?" asked
Giant during a short lull in the talk.

"Yes," answered Shep. "And if we do, they'll sure try to make
trouble for us."

"I am not afraid of them," said Snap. "If they don't keep their
distance we'll-----"

"Give 'em as good as they send," finished Whopper. "But great
Caesar's tombstone! just think of going camping again!" And in his
joy the youth turned a handspring on the grass. As he arose Giant
threw an apple core that took him in the ear. Then Whopper threw
a core in return, hitting Shep. A general fusillade of cores
followed, and the lads ended by chasing each other around the
orchard. Then they trooped back to the rowboat.

"Shall we go and talk to your father?" asked Snap on the way back.

"I think he'd like it if you would," answered the doctor's son. "I'll
see if he is disengaged."

Dr. Reed was busy with a lady caller and the boys had to wait a
quarter of an hour. Then he came into the sitting-room and shook
hands warmly.

"So you are willing to undertake the commission to get pictures, eh?"
he said after a few words. "Well, I am glad of it, for I know you
can do it if you'll try. The outing ought to just suit you."

"It certainly will," answered Snap.

"I'll get the cameras at once and likewise the other things. Let me
see, what cameras have you now?"

The boys told him, and he made some notes in a book. A general talk
followed, and the physician told the lads just what he would like
best to have. He cautioned them to keep quiet concerning the land
company's projects.

"We want to spring this on the general public as a surprise," he
explained. "If we don't keep it quiet some other folks may try to
get ahead of us. To my mind our section of the Windy Mountains is
an ideal one for city sportsmen, being wild and yet not too wild,
and having some charming spots for camping."

"And hunting and fishing ought to be good," adde