though he had been one of the cooks.

"And that was up in the Great North Woods, when we spent that joyful
time with Trapper Jim, wasn't it!" Max suggested.

"I'd sure like mighty well to repeat that trip some of these fine days,"
Steve told them, "but I reckon we never will, because there are so many
other temptations all around us. And seems like we might squeeze all the
fun we can manage out of this little vacation. Here we are, away off
from everywhere, and if we want we can just think we're camping in the
heart of Africa, with wild beasts all around us and savage Hottentots or
Zulu warriors waiting to take us by surprise."

Steve liked to indulge in these little flights of fancy once in a while.
His imagination sometimes ran away with him; but he seemed to get
considerable of enjoyment out of the idea.

Hardly had he ceased speaking on the present occasion than each one of
the four boys sat upright, and seemed to be straining his hearing to the
utmost, as though some sound had come to them then and there that caused
surprise, even consternation.

"S-s-say, w-w-whatever was that n-n-noise like thunder?" asked Toby,
blankly.

Steve looked puzzled.

"That's what's got my goat, Toby," he remarked in a perplexed tone of
voice; it might be one thing or another, but it sure wasn't thunder.
"As for me, now, I'm racking my poor brains to guess whether it could
only have been a farmer's bull bellowing away off there; or we sat here
and actually, listened to a savage African lion at large!"

His words appalled every one, and it was well that supper had been
eaten, else their appetites might have suffered a decided slump.

CHAPTER VII

THE QUEER ACTIONS OF STEVE

"Listen, and see if it comes again!" said Bandy-legs, with bated breath.

The four campers sat there for several tense minutes, each one almost
holding his breath in the effort to train his ears so as not to miss the
slightest sound that might come.

"Whoo--whoo--whoo!"

After all their great expectations, to hear this solemn cry from the
depths of the woods made several of the chums chuckle.

"Good evening, Mister Owl!" Bandy-legs called out, with mock respect.
"Hope all the little Owls are feeling quite well to-night. Glad to have
us for company, are you? Well, we're just tickled to death to be with
you, believe me."

"But s-s-say, that wasn't what we heard the other t-t-time!" objected
Toby, in some dismay, as though he feared he might h