the table he lighted this also.

But little was to be seen outside of that which had already met his
gaze. The hermit's den had been cleaned up around the table, on which
rested half a dozen bottles, an empty cigar box, and several packs of
cards.

"This must be the stuff those fellows bought in Oakville," thought the
eldest Rover. "They have been using this cave for a regular club room.
What a beastly crowd they are! And they really imagine they are having
good times, too!"

As will be remembered, Dick had been given a trip on a rowboat before
being brought into the den and he imagined that he was somewhere near
the head of Bass Lake, how far from the camp he could not tell.

"Perhaps I'm near where Tom and the others met those snakes," he mused.
"Ugh! I don't want to fall in with things like that. And how I am to
get back to camp without a boat is more than I can settle."

Blowing out the bit of candle, he placed it in his pocket and left the
den. On all sides were the thick bushes already described, and poor
Dick knew not which way to turn. He listened once more, but hardly a
sound broke the midnight silence.

"Might as well strike out as to stay here," he said. "I don't think
they'll come back in very much of a hurry, and perhaps they won't come
until morning."

Pushing his way through the bushes he at last reached a tiny stream
that poured over the rocks. He followed the stream and after half an
hour's hard walking reached the edge of the lake. He had journeyed
directly away from the camp and was now in a spot that was lonely in
the extreme.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the water at this point was very shallow
and soon Dick was wading over to what he took to be the island upon
which the encampment had been located. But as a matter of fact he was
headed for the main shore of the lake, and soon he was tramping further
away from the camp than ever. For once in his life, so far as his bump
of locality was concerned, Dick was hopelessly mixed.

Dick traveled nearly a mile before he reached the conclusion that he
was not on Pine Island or anywhere near it.

"I'm on the mainland, that's certain," he told himself. "I guess the
best thing I can do is to wait for daylight before going further. I may
only--Hullo, a light!"

Dick had emerged from a grove of trees and now saw a light streaming
from the window of a cottage but a short distance away. The sight of
this caused him to breathe a sigh of relief.

"S