these streams run into the pond and into
Perch River. Now, which one you want, at tudder end, I don't know."

"Which is the largest branch?"

"Can't say, exactly. This one an' the one yonder are about the same
size, and that one aint much smaller."

"Well, which do you suppose was the largest years ago?"

"Can't say that neither, although that one yonder might have been, by
the looks o' the banks."

"Then let us start on that one. And if that fails us, we can then try
the others."

They skated to the stream in question and erected a pole in the middle
of the ice, upon which a second note was posted. Having gone to the
trouble of chopping a hole for the pole, John Barrow suggested they
might try their hand at fishing.

"Might as well stay here a while," he said. "If they are behind us, they
may catch up."

Dick was willing, and soon a line was baited and let down into the hole.
It was in the water only a few seconds when the guide felt a bite and
drew up a fine fish, weighing at least half a pound.

Dick was anxious to try it, and took the line from John Barrow's hands.
He was equally successful, and in a short while they had seven fish to
their credit, weighing from a quarter to three-quarters of a pound
apiece.

"I'm going to tie a fish to the top of the pole," said Dick. "They may
be hungry when they get here, especially if they miss the pole at our
last camping place."

"They won't want to eat raw fish, lad."

"No, and I'm going to put a few matches in a paper and tie it to the
fish, so they can cook it, if they wish."

Dick's idea was followed out, and once more they went on, up a narrow
stream which had many a turn among the cedar brakes and hemlocks which
lined either side. Rocks were likewise numerous, and the lad came to the
conclusion that locating the treasure was going to be no easy task.

"It's rather desolate," he remarked. "I wonder what ever possessed that
old Goupert to come here?"

"It's not so desolate in the summer time, Dick. But I reckon Goupert was
a mighty odd stick, as it was."

At last they rounded a turn in the stream and came in sight of Bear
Pond, a long and wide stretch of water located in the very midst of two
tall mountains. The pond was covered with thick ice, and the snow lay
upon it in long drifts and ridges. The ice was blackish and almost as
hard as flint.

"We may as well go into camp near the mouth of this stream," said Dick.
"For from this spot we'll make our