r and were perfectly dry, but the two
rowboats had to be bailed out. Various parties were made up to go out,
and presently Dave found himself in one of the canoes with Jessie as his
sole companion.

"Any particular place you'd like to go?" questioned our hero, as he
dipped his paddle into the lake, and with a firm sweep sent the long and
graceful canoe gliding away from the little dock.

"Supposing we go along the shore, Dave?" answered the girl. "I would
like to see how it looks beyond this cove."

"All right, I'll keep as close to shore as possible," he replied. And
then they set off, leaving the others to go where they pleased.

"You don't suppose there's any danger of our upsetting?" queried Jessie.

"We won't upset if you keep perfectly still," answered Dave. "I think I
can manage this craft all right."

On and on they went over the smooth surface of the lake, passing at
times close to the shore and under the overhanging branches of trees,
which at some points were very thick. In spots the water was shallow,
and so clear that they could see the bottom with ease and occasionally
catch sight of fishes darting in one direction or another.

"I think we're going to have some fine times fishing up here," declared
the youth, as a beautiful trout flashed by only a few feet away.

They were coming around a long curve of the shore. Just ahead was a high
point of rocks, on which somebody had erected a rude summer-house of
untrimmed tree-branches.

"What a cute little place!" declared Jessie, in delight.

"It must belong to some of the cottages around the bend," answered Dave.
"I believe there is quite a colony somewhere up here."

They passed around the point of rocks, and a few minutes later came in
sight of several rustic cottages set in a grove of trees. In front of
the cottages was a long, narrow dock, at which rested several craft,
including a fair-sized motor-boat.

"Hello, I didn't know there was a motor-boat on this lake!" exclaimed
Dave. "Whoever owns it must have had some job getting it here."

No one was at the dock or on the motor-boat, and passing that point,
Dave sent his canoe along another picturesque bit of the lake shore.
Then, as they made another turn, they came in sight of a log cabin which
had evidently been erected many years before.

"Well, I never! Dave, what in the world are those folks doing?"

The cry came from Jessie, and not without reason, for they had suddenly
come in sight of