Dave Porter At Bear Camp: or, The Wild Man of Mirror Lake

"Isn't that perfectly grand!"

"I don't wonder they call it Mirror Lake!"

Such were some of the cries from the girls as the first of the stage-coaches rolled out on the edge of the sheet of water by which the bungalows were located. Here, at a certain point, they could gaze down the full length of the lake. In spite of the rain that had fallen the surface of the water seemed unusually smooth, and it glistened in the light of the moon and the stars like silver.

"Oh, it's just too splendid for anything!" exclaimed Jessie, as she clapped her hands in delight. "What a beautiful place to come to!"

"I don't see how it could be any prettier than it is," added Laura.

"Why, it's just like a scene from fairyland!" declared Belle. "Oh, I know I'm going to have just the nicest time ever while I'm here!"

"I see the bungalows!" cried Roger, and he pointed to a number of lights twinkling between the trees.

"I told Mary, the hired girl, to light up so we could see where we were going," said Mrs. Wadsworth.

"This is about as far as we can go with the stages," announced the driver of the first turnout, as he came to a halt. "You'll have to walk the rest of the distance. Bill and me will help you with the traps."

Soon the other stage came up, and all on board alighted. The two stage-drivers took the heaviest of the suitcases, while the boys and Mr. Porter and Mr. Basswood carried the others. Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth led the way along a trail that was still somewhat wet and slippery.

"It's right in the woods, that's sure!" declared Roger.

"What do you think of it?" asked Dave, as they approached the two bungalows, which stood only a short distance apart.

"Oh, I like it very much. I think we ought to have a dandy time here, Dave."

"Just what I was thinking."

Their approach had been noticed by the servant girls, and this couple came out to meet them. Then the two drivers were paid, and they returned to their stages and started back for Carpen Falls.

"I'm glad that journey is ended!" remarked Jessie, as she sank into a rustic rocking-chair. "My! but it was quite an adventure; now wasn't it?"

"It certainly was, Jessie," answered Dave. "I don't suppose you'll want to go back by automobile?"

"Not unless you guarantee the weather, Dave," she answered, with a smile.

The Basswood family, along with Shadow and Luke, had gone off to the second bungalow, leaving the others at the one over which Mrs. Wadsworth was to preside. The lady of the bungalow showed the girls and the boys the various rooms which they were to occupy. As all of the other baggage had arrived from the railroad station two days before, the tourists lost no time in getting rid of their damp garments and donning others more comfortable. After that all made an inspection of the bungalow, and then trooped over to the other building.

"Say, this suits me down to the ground!" said Luke. "It couldn't be better."

"I noticed a number of canoes and rowboats at the dock," said Shadow. "We are bound to have some fine times out on that lake."

"And did you notice the bath-houses?" added Ben. "That means good times swimming."

"Providing the water isn't too cold," said Phil. "In some of these lakes among the mountains it gets pretty cold, don't you know, especially if the lake happens to be fed by springs."

"Oh, pshaw! who's afraid of a little cold water?" cried his chum, disdainfully.

"Any danger of a bear coming to eat us up?" queried Luke.

"Oh, don't say bears again!" cried Jessie. "I don't want to hear of them, much less see them."

"Say, that puts me in mind of a story!" cried Shadow, eagerly. "Once a bear got away from his keeper and wandered around a little New England village until he came to a cottage where an old lady lived. All of the villagers were scared to death, and some of them started to get their shotguns and rifles with which to kill Mr. Bruin. But the old lady had her own idea of what to do. She grabbed up a broomstick and began to hammer that bear right on his nose, and would you believe me? Mr. Bruin got so scared that he ran away and then went straight back to his keeper and allowed himself to be chained up again!"

"Shadow, is that a true story or a made-up yarn?" asked Laura.

"It was told to me down East, and they said it was absolutely true," was the answer. "They even gave me the name of the old lady."

"Say, Shadow, it was a wonder they didn't give you the name of the broomstick," said Dave, and with that there was a short laugh.

Dave, Roger, and Phil had been given two rooms between them. One was considerably smaller than the other, and this Dave occupied. On the other side of a little hallway were the girls, while Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth and Dunston Porter occupied large chambers next to the living-room. In the rear were two tiny rooms for the hired help. At the other bungalow Ben and his friends occupied three little rooms, while Mr. and Mrs. Basswood had a large apartment off to one side. At this bungalow there was an extra large living-room in which was placed, among other things, a small upright piano, somewhat out of tune but still usable.

"Now don't you boys dare to play any tricks to-night!" said Laura, when she and her girl friends were about to retire. "You just keep your tricks for some other time."

"All right, Laura, I'll make Roger and Phil be good," answered her brother. "I guess we are all tired enough to sleep soundly." And he certainly spoke the truth as far as he personally was concerned, for hardly had his head touched the pillow than he was off to the land of dreams.

The boys were up bright and early on the following morning. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing from the West. To be sure, the forest back of the bungalow was still wet, but it had dried off down at the shore of the lake, and at the dock where were located two rowboats and several canoes.

"Let us all go out for a row after breakfast," suggested Dave. "It will limber us up."

The aroma of freshly-made coffee and of sizzling bacon filled the air between the bungalows, and soon the young folks who had gone down to the dock to look at the lake and the craft on it, came trooping back for their breakfast.

"Don't you think it would be more pleasant if we could all eat together, Mrs. Wadsworth?" said Laura, while they were partaking of the repast.

"Perhaps so, Laura, and maybe we'll be able to arrange it," answered the lady. "Mrs. Basswood spoke about it. They have a large living-room there that might be utilized as a dining-room for all, and in pleasant weather we might all eat out on our wide porch."

"That's the talk!" cried Dave. "I'd rather eat outdoors any time, if the weather would permit."

"Oh, yes, let us eat on the porch!" cried Jessie. And so, later on, it was arranged, the entire party eating indoors only when it was wet.

The canoes had been turned over and were perfectly dry, but the two rowboats had to be bailed out. Various parties were made up to go out, and presently Dave found himself in one of the canoes with Jessie as his sole companion.

"Any particular place you'd like to go?" questioned our hero, as he dipped his paddle into the lake, and with a firm sweep sent the long and graceful canoe gliding away from the little dock.

"Supposing we go along the shore, Dave?" answered the girl. "I would like to see how it looks beyond this cove."

"All right, I'll keep as close to shore as possible," he replied. And then they set off, leaving the others to go where they pleased.

"You don't suppose there's any danger of our upsetting?" queried Jessie.

"We won't upset if you keep perfectly still," answered Dave. "I think I can manage this craft all right."

On and on they went over the smooth surface of the lake, passing at times close to the shore and under the overhanging branches of trees, which at some points were very thick. In spots the water was shallow, and so clear that they could see the bottom with ease and occasionally catch sight of fishes darting in one direction or another.

"I think we're going to have some fine times fishing up here," declared the youth, as a beautiful trout flashed by only a few feet away.

They were coming around a long curve of the shore. Just ahead was a high point of rocks, on which somebody had erected a rude summer-house of untrimmed tree-branches.

"What a cute little place!" declared Jessie, in delight.