rs, stood over in line to
have their names taken down.

"If one of us can go, Paul," explained Wallace Carberry, "we'll fix it
up between us which it shall be. But I'm sorry to say our folks don't
take to this idea of a winter camp very strongly."

"Same over at my house," complained Bob Tice. "Mother is afraid
something terrible might happen to us in such a hard spell of winter.
As if scouts couldn't take care of themselves anywhere, and under all
conditions!"

There were many gloomy faces seen in the gathering, showing that other
boys knew their parents did not look on the delightful scheme with
favor. Some of them could not accompany the party on account of other
plans which had been arranged by their parents.

"If the ice stays as fine as it is now," remarked Tom Betts, "we can
spin down the river on our iceboats, and maybe make our way through
that old canal to Lake Tokala as well. But how about the creek leading
up to the cabin, Paul? Did you ask Mr. Garrity about it?"

"Yes, I asked him everything I could think of," came the ready reply.
"I'm sorry to say it will be necessary to leave our iceboats somewhere
on the lake, for the creek winds around in such a way, and is so
narrow in places, that none of us could work the boats up there."

"But wouldn't it be dangerous to leave them on the lake so long?"
asked Tom, anxiously. "I've put in some pretty hard licks on my new
craft, and I'd sure hate to have any one steal it from me."

"Yes," added Bobolink, quickly, "and we all know that Lawson crowd
have been showing themselves as mean as dirt lately. We thought we had
got rid of our enemies some time ago, and here this new lot of rivals
seems bent on making life miserable for all scouts. They are a tough
crowd, and pretend to look down on us as weaklings. Hank Lawson is now
playing the part of the bully in Stanhope, you know."

"I even considered that," continued Paul, who seldom omitted anything
when laying plans. "Mr. Garrity told me there was a man living on the
shore of Lake Tokala, who would look after our iceboats for a
consideration."

"Bully for that!" exclaimed Tom, apparently much relieved. "All the
same I think it would be as well for us to try to keep our camping
place a secret if it can be done. Let folks understand that we're
going somewhere around Lake Tokala; and perhaps the Lawson crowd will
miss us."

"That isn't a bad idea," Paul agreed, "and I'd like every one to
remember it. Of course