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The stars had gone under a cloud and out on the lake it was so dark that Snap and his chums could not see twenty feet in any direction. "We are going to have our own troubles finding our camp," he said, after about a quarter of the distance across Lake Narsac had been covered. "It's as black as a stack of cats," murmured Whopper. "Has anybody got a lantern?"
"Say, maybe we had better go somewhere else," suggested Whopper, hesitatingly. "Whopper, are you afraid of ghosts?" demanded Snap. "N -no, but I -er -I'd like to go somewhere where we wouldn't be bothered by anything." "I am going to Lake Narsac, ghosts or no ghosts!" cried the doctor's son. "So am I," added Snap, promptly. "If Whopper wants to stay behind "
The two latter resorts were close to civilization, while Narsac Lake was a wild spot, seldom visited by the regular run of sportsmen. To get to the lake would be quite a task in itself, and whatever would be needed for the trip must be procured at home or at one of the other lakes. And while they must take all needed articles along they must make their boat load as light as possible.
"Oh, let us keep on until it is really dark," replied Giant. "I'd like to see Lake Narsac, I must confess," answered Snap. "But even if we get there inside of the next hour we won't be able to see much." Nevertheless, they kept on, until it was really dark. Then, by mutual consent, they drew up to the bank of the stream, leaped from the boat and stretched their limbs.
And the old hunter shook his head positively. "Are there any houses near the lake?" questioned Giant. "Not a house within two or three miles. It is the wildest place you ever visited," answered Jed Sanborn. "Hunters don't go there much on account of the rough rocks in the stream flowing into Narsac.
"We want to know something about Lake Narsac," came from Whopper. "I've heard there were about a million snakes up there and all big fellows, too. Is that true?" "O' course it is," answered Jed Sanborn, with a grin. "Snakes is twenty to fifty feet long, and so thick ye have to wade through 'em up to your knees. Ha ha!" and he commenced to laugh. "I got ahead of ye thet time, didn't I, Whopper?"
They were now on another shelf, and from this location could look out over the entire surface of Lake Narsac. Not a boat or a person was to be seen. "This is certainly a lonely spot," was Snap's comment. "A hermit wouldn't wish for a more choice location." "And he could get plenty of fish and game," added Whopper. "And berries too, when they were in season."
"But tell us the truth," insisted Giant. "We're thinking of camping up there, and, of course, we won't want to go if there is any real danger." "Well, to tell the plain, everyday truth, boys, I don't allow as how there is any more reptiles up to Lake Narsac nor there be around Lake Firefly an' in the mountains whar I hang out.
At half-past nine in the morning they started for the other side of Lake Narsac in their rowboat, taking the two other craft with them. They looked for Ham Spink and his cronies but the camping spot was deserted. "What can this mean?" questioned Whopper. "Is it another trick?" "Maybe they are at our camp this minute!" cried Giant. "We ought to have left somebody on guard."
It was several days before Ham and Carl heard the last of the "grand celebration" they had reported they would give. With the fun of Independence Day at an end, Snap and his chums turned their attention once more to the matter of the summer outing. They realized that a trip to Lake Narsac would be quite different from one only as far as Lake Cameron or Firefly Lake.
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