that made its home amidst some rocks,
and Will, after more or less hard study, believed he could see the
regular track taken by clever Reynard in coming and going.

"There's one thing sure," remarked Will, proudly, when relating how he
had investigated, and figured, and found out many things in connection
with that particular little animal, "this hunting with a camera
certainly does force a fellow to become acquainted with the habits of
every kind of bird and animal."

"There's no doubt about that, Will," Frank immediately assented; "and
I warrant right now you're in closer touch with Nature ten times over
than you'd have been if you hadn't taken up this fad or hobby."

"I should say so!" continued the enthusiast, his face kindling with
earnestness. "Why, before that I never bothered my head much about the
habits of foxes, 'coons, squirrels, minks, bobcats, or anything that
had its hiding-place in the woods or in burrows under the rocks. But
now I'm forever trying to learn new things about the way they live,
and how they get their food."

"Of course I can understand that," admitted Jerry; "us fellows who
love to hunt wild game have to know a lot about their habits. It's the
same if you go after the wily black bass--if you're green about his
ways you can fish till you drop and never get a single bite."

"I've had something to do with both kinds of sport," said Frank,
seriously; "and I want to say right here that I certainly believe
hunting with a camera beats the gun business all hollow. You get in
closer touch with the little animals when you're only trying to take
their pictures, and not harm them. I warrant now Will often counts
them as his friends, and that they show little fear of him."

That launched the camera advocate into a fervent description of many
meetings with his coy subjects, and the tricks he was compelled to
resort to in order to let them understand he meant them no harm.

So the evening passed pleasantly.

There was nothing in the way of a disturbance to break in upon their
sleep. Will had posted his camera trap a full quarter of a mile away,
and even if it worked at any time during the night they would not know
it.

The moon arose about the middle of the night, but none of the boys had
any use for the battered lantern in the sky, since they remained under
the cabin roof until morning broke.

As before, they took a little dip in the cold waters of the lake in
order to get in good trim for