The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport

“Yes, we’ve learned what fire can do,” said Fred, grimly.

“Another thing is, don’t fool with your firearms, and don’t point a gun at the other fellow just because you think the gun isn’t loaded. And another thing, never point your gun at yourself or at anybody else when you are climbing a fence, or crawling through the brushwood. The hammer may catch on something and somebody may be killed.”

“Yes, I knew of a boy who was killed that way,” said Harry. “He was climbing a rail fence and the charge nearly took the top of his head off.”

“And finally,” said Joel Runnell, “when you leave a camp, don’t break up everything in sight just for the sport of it, thinking you’ll never come back that way again. You may want to come back the very next season, or, if you don’t, somebody else may happen that way and it will be a pleasure for that party to find things in shape for use, just as we found Snow Lodge ready for use.”

By the time the young hunters had returned to the shelter the wind was rising once more, and they were glad enough to sit around the fire and get warm. While they ate their midday meal Joel Runnel explained many traps and their workings to the boys, and told of what animals he had caught from time to time by such means.

They were just preparing to go out for the afternoon when Link, who was at the doorway, called softly to his companions.

“Don’t make any noise,” he said. “I think there is some kind of an animal around.”

“Is it a bear?” queried Bart.

“I don’t know what it is.”

“Where did you hear it, Link?” asked Joe.

“Down near the lake. It made a very odd sound.”

By this time all had reached for their guns and were coming forth from the shelter.

“Come with me, Link,” said old Runnell. “You others hang back a little. We’ll find out what it is that is prowling around. I don’t believe it’s a bear.”

With extreme caution Joel Runnell led the way in the direction Link had pointed out. The snow covered the rough rocks so that walking was extremely difficult.

Just as they were to pass from under some pine trees into the open there came a cat-like cry from a tree to their right. Wheeling around, the old hunter caught sight of two animals facing each other on a sloping tree limb. Each animal was rather larger than a good sized house cat and had a long, bushy tail and short, stout legs.

“What are they, cats?” whispered Link.

“No, pine martens,” returned the old hunter, in a low voice. “Get back and perhaps we’ll see some fun.”

He caught Link by the arm, and both drew back a few paces. Then the others were motioned to keep silent.

The two pine martens soon began to growl and spit at each other exactly as do two house cats when on a back fence to settle a long-standing dispute. They were so much in earnest that neither noted the approach of the hunters, although usually a pine marten is very shy and quick to detect danger.

“What a battle!” remarked Joe, when each had made a savage claw at the other. “You’d almost think they were two old Toms, wouldn’t you?”

“Perhaps you’d better heave a boot-jack at them,” came dryly from Bart.

“Hush, lads,” put in Joel Runnell. “Be prepared to fire the minute they try to run away. Remember, they may disappear like magic.”

“Let me shoot one,” pleaded Link. “I haven’t had any chance at game yet.”

“And let me try for the other,” came from Bart.

“All right. But take careful aim, or the martens will get away from you.”

CHAPTER XXII

TEDDY MEETS “THE INDIANS”

In order to get a better view of the pine martens, who had shifted slightly from where they were first fighting, Link and Bart moved cautiously along among several big pine trees.

“I’ll take the lighter one,” said Bart.

“All right, I’ll try for the darker,” said his chum. Both of the martens were brown, but there were several shades of difference between the pair.

“Are you ready?” came a few seconds later.

“Yes.”

“Then fire!”

Crack! crack! went the two guns in rapid succession and up into the air leaped both of the animals. Then they came down into the snow and whirled over and over. One was mortally wounded and quickly expired, but the one shot by Bart, tried to crawl away.

“He’s going to get away from ye!” cried Teddy Dugan, in strong excitement. “Let me give him a shot, won’t ye?”

“Yes,” answered Bart, and no sooner had he spoken than the Irish boy blazed away, and over on its back went the pine marten, as dead as a stone.

All of the young hunters rushed up to inspect the prizes. They found the pine martens of a strong odor, but with beautiful furs.

“Those pelts are worth something,” said Joel Runnell.

“Can we eat the meat?” asked Bart.

“I don’t think you’ll care particularly for the flavor. But you want to save the furs.”

“We shall certainly do that,” said Link, and then old Runnell showed them how to skin the game so that the fur would not be damaged.

Now that they were out with their guns they continued the hunt until sunset. During that time they were lucky enough to get three rabbits and two squirrels and also some more nuts out of the hole of one of the latter creatures.

It was growing colder steadily and by sunset all of the young hunters were more than glad to get back to the shelter.

“Oh, but this night is going to be a stinger!” predicted Joe, and he was right. They brought in a large quantity of firewood and set the blaze to going as hard as they dared. The pine trees leaning against the cliff were getting dry and they had to be careful that no sparks should set them ablaze.

“We’ve burnt down one shelter, we don’t want to burn down another,” said old Runnell, and Joe, Harry and Fred agreed with him.

By midnight it was so cold that several of the boys could not sleep. Wrapped up in their blankets they huddled so close to the fire that one of them, Bart, had one corner of his wrap badly singed.

“Look out, you’re on fire!” came from Joe, in a warning, and Bart leaped up and did a war dance in an effort to brush away the sparks which had reached him.

Some water had been brought into the shelter for drinking purposes, but long before morning this was frozen into a solid chunk, which Teddy Dugan surveyed with a comical look on his face.

“Sure an’ nobody will be after drinkin’ that,” he said. “If you want water you’ll have to chew it!”

“This is the banner cold snap so far,” observed Harry. “I trust the thermometer doesn’t go much lower.”