The Secret Cache

ther, but because they were obliged to skirt the shore closely, entering each bay and cove, rounding every point, and keeping keen watch for any sign of the w

eeks when they came to one, where Blaise, in entering, cautioned Hugh to steer far to one side. Almost across the river mouth extended a long bar of sand and gravel, covered by an inch or two of water, for th

backwater behind the bar, the boys found a landing place and carried the canoe ashore. Then they scrambled up the bank a short distance, searching the stream mouth for signs of the wreck. Caught in a blossoming serv

nse tones. Hugh snatched the worn mocca

the skin. It is from the elk hide our father brought from the region of the great river." He made a gesture towards the so

e ragged one, and drew a long breath. "Then it

search," was t

eyond the beach, a rough slope composed of the same sort of dark rock flakes, partly decomposed into crumbly soil. The two pushed through the bushes and small trees that sp

to find Blaise. But he stopped suddenly. His foot had come in contact with something that was not a rock, a stump or a stick. Stooping, he pulled from under a scraggly wild raspberry, where it had been dropped or thrust,

unger boy came through the bushes. In silence the elder handed the other the

Hugh pointing

grunted

ood?" Hugh's

quickly. "No, no.

o you

embroidered in black wool, on the breast of the tunic. "This is Black

here? There's no sign

puzzlement. "I do not und

peculated, "that they were wrecked farther along the shore. Coming on by land, they camped here and some accident happened to Black

s it?" as

aspberry bush

nk you they

show

clearing. Carefully and absor

s for beds, and he left scarce any litter. It may be he cooked but one meal and went on. If he lay here for the night, the marks of his body no lon

d here," Hugh questioned, "

the lake, and a body weight

lood-stained shirt

the puzzled look retu

earing Black Thunder's shirt and t

s are in the wrong place. They are on the breast. No, he

boat or some further trace of Jean Beaupré and his companion. Neither lad had any

"If our father camped here, it was because he was very weary indeed

uired curiously. "It's true we have seen pleasanter s

ingsong. "On the shores of that lake have been found the devil's tracks, great footprints, like those of a man, but many times larger and very far apart. So the lake is called the 'Lake of Devil Tracks' and the r

ersisted far more actively than they do now, was not without his share of such superstitions. But this story of

e such a tale, Blaise, a

white. Why should not one live on that lake then? How know we it was not that devil who killed Black Thunder and left the bloody tunic under the raspberry bush as a wa

"Devil or not, I don't like the place. We'll

de the sinister thing he had found under the raspberry bush, and the evil deed that thing suggested, seem unreal to Hugh, almost as unreal as the devil who lived at the lake and walked down the river to

mosquitoes disturbed their rest. Hugh thought of suggesting that the horde of voracious insects might have been sent by the evil spirit of Devil Track Lake to

ocky stretch, once a reef or island, running at right angles to the gravel spit. The T-shaped projection forms a good harbor for small boats. Closely scanning every foot of beach and rock shore, Hugh and Blaise paddled around the T. On the inner side of the spit, they

for some hours, had reached a height dangerous to a small boat. The time was past noon, and Blaise thought that the sea would not be likely to go down before

Blaise paddled. Luck was with them and when they went ashore an hour later they had four fine trout, the smallest about three and the largest at least eight pounds. In one thing at least, cook

ough for canoe travel, the boys prepared to stay where they were till morning. The night was unusually m