operations of leveling the forest, or, at least, robbing it of all
the spruce for the pulp mill over at Bedington.

Jerry held up at the lumber camp, for he wished to ask a few questions of
the cook, who was a man he happened to know in a small way, though never
particularly fancying Jock Stovers.

The fellow stared at seeing a quartette of elegant motor-cycles come
dashing up to the loggers' winter quarters.

"Hello! Jock. We're going into the woods to spend a week or two; wagon
following after with all the stuff. Where do you suppose we could run
across old Jesse Wilcox these days; and is he starting to do any
trapping?" asked Jerry.

The lumber-camp cook grinned a little as he took in the new and striking
hunting apparel which Bluff Masters sported so airily; doubtless he
immediately concluded that the whole party must be a set of greenhorns,
incapable of knowing enough to come in out of the wet when it rained.

"Oh! yes, he's to work, they tells me. Leastwise I heerd ole Bud Rabig
complainin' thet he never did hev a show wen Jesse he was around,
'cause the annermiles they jest seem ter hanker arter Jesse's traps.
Folks do say he hes a kinder scent he uses ter jest coax 'em like,"
replied the cook, not above hoping these sons of Centerville rich
people might think it worth while to toss him a generous tip for any
information he gave them.

"We are heading for that old camp by the twin hemlocks, where that spring
bubbles up, winter and summer. One of us will be back here to convoy old
Toby in with the chuck wagon, and get Erastus over the farmers' station,
where he can catch a late train back. Just tell them to wait here, if
they come before I arrive, and here's some tobacco money for your
trouble, Jock."

The cook nimbly caught the flying coin, and grinned his thanks.

"Oh! I'll tell 'em all right, don't yer be 'fraid, Jerry. Say, they was a
party o' three as started in ter camp jest whar ye say, about a hull hour
ago. Boys from Centerville, too, but a tough-lookin' bunch. They tried to
do me for a breakfast, but I come out with a gun, and they shooed. Reckon
that Pet Peters was wun o' the gang."

"Whew!"

Jerry looked at the others in some dismay.

"What'll we do, fellows; that's Andy's right bower. He must have started
the three of them up here last night, meaning to have them squat by the
spring first, and keep us off. And I did want to camp just there above
all places! It's been on my mind all night