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All thought of the labor they had put on the cabin and the surroundings. "This is too bad!" cried Whopper. "See here, Mr. Felps, can't we stay if we pay you?" "No, sir!" was the first answer. Andrew Felps looked at Snap, coldly. "You can go home and tell your father I sent you." The remark made Snap exceedingly angry and for the moment he lost his temper. "You are more than mean!" he cried.
"Look here, if you know anything about our boat I want to know it," said Whopper, without stopping to think twice. "Your boat?" repeated Vance Lemon, and then he looked at Giles Faswig, who winked. "Yes, our boat," repeated Whopper. "We tied it to a tree last night and now it is gone." "I didn't touch your boat," growled Andrew Felps. "Nor did I," put in Vance Lemon.
"That gasolene launch can never follow us to this lake. It's too large." "Yes, and the tramp from one lake to the other is not easy," added Shep. "Old Jed Sanborn told me that." "Won't Jed be angry when he learns that Felps has bought up Lake Cameron," put in Giant. "That was one of his favorite hunting and fishing places."
"What business is that of yours?" "None of my business -in one way -but a good deal of my business in another way." "I don't understand you, Barrock. Stop talking in riddles and get down to business." "Can I trust you, Mr. Felps? I mean, will you keep a secret?" "That depends," answered Andrew Felps, coldly. "I want to help you so that you can get the best of the Barnaby people."
At this question all ran outside and down to where the Snapper had been tied to an overhanging tree. The rowboat had disappeared. "Well, if this isn't the limit!" groaned Shep. "Boat gone, cooking utensils gone, supplies gone -everything gone but our firearms! Who could have done it?" "Maybe the Felps crowd," suggested Whopper. "Or Ham Spink's gang," added Giant. "Or the ghost."
"What do you want for the papers?" asked Andrew Felps, cautiously. "They ought to be worth several thousand dollars, but you can have them for one thousand dollars." "Nonsense, Barrock! What would I do with the papers?" "Destroy them." "What, after giving you a thousand dollars for them?" Lush Barrock nodded. "It's this way, Felps," he said.
They had started in high spirits, and after a number of minor adventures located on the shore of the lake. From this spot, however, they were driven by a saw mill owner named Andrew Felps, who ran a company that was a rival to the concern in which Mr. Dodge had an interest. The boys were made to give up their comfortable camp, and then they went to Firefly Lake, a mile away.
"He is certainly a bad one," was Whopper's comment. "Yes, and Andrew Felps is almost as bad," said Shep. "He would have bought those papers." They retraced their steps toward the lake, and soon met Andrew Felps and his companions. "Did you catch him?" asked the lumber dealer, nervously. "No," was Snap's short answer. "Do you know him?" went on Andrew Felps, curiously.
I don't know the whole truth of the case, but I know my father wanted the papers and he didn't want Andrew Felps to learn that they were missing." "Snap, I think you have struck the truth," ejaculated Shep. "I don't know of anything else that would bring this Barrock -if that's his name -to this locality. He must be watching his chance to meet Andrew Felps."
"He got more than he expected." "Well, I didn't intend to upset him into the fire," burst out Shep. "I hope he doesn't get burnt." By this time Andrew Felps had rolled out of the blaze. His coat was on fire and so was one leg of his trousers. "Dive into the lake, Andy!" called out one of the men, and hurried the unfortunate individual toward the water.
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