Dave Porter At Bear Camp Part 24

"You'll have to go to the other sh.o.r.e for good fishing," said Tad Rason, who had already shown himself at the bungalows and made himself known.

"The fish are mighty scarce around here."

"I'd like to go fishing sometime!" exclaimed Della, with a smile and a nod to Dave and his chums. "I never caught a fish in my life. Mr.

Porter, couldn't you show me how to do it?" she asked, sweetly.

"I might, if the fish was willing to be caught," answered Dave, with a grin.

"Oh, I am sure I could catch one if you would only show me how,"

returned the young actress.

"Well, if you are going to fish with worms you've got to first learn how to put one on a hook," said Phil.

"O my! I'm sure that I don't want to put a squirming worm on any hook!"

cried Della, with a slight shudder. "I want to fish with one of those beautiful flies, it's so much more interesting."

"I came down on a peculiar errand," broke in Mr. Appleby, after he had tied up at the dock. "I would like to borrow a little furniture from you for one day only."

"Furniture?" queried Roger.

"Yes. You see, we have an interior scene up at our cottage, but we haven't got just the furniture that the drama calls for. I noticed when I stopped at your bungalows yesterday that you had several pieces that are just the ones required. If you will lend them to me to-day, I will see that you get them back safely by to-morrow."

"You'll have to see Mrs. Wadsworth and Mrs. Ba.s.swood about that,"

returned Dave. "Not but that I think it will be all right," he added, hastily.

"Come up here to do some shooting, I suppose, just as soon as the season opens?" remarked Tad Rason, to the boys.

"Well, we won't object to bringing down a deer or two if we get the chance," answered our hero. "But I rather imagine deer are scarce around here. I haven't seen any of them yet."

"Oh, you'll find plenty of deer up at the head of the lake," returned the old hunter. "They don't come down here much. They always left this spot for the bears."

"The bears! Oh, Mr. Rason! you surely don't mean that?" cried Della Ford.

"But I certainly do, ma'am. This was always a great place for bears.

That's why they call this end of the lake Bear Camp. I shot one of 'em here last winter, and I got an old she-bear and her two cubs here two years afore that."

"We haven't seen any traces of bears," said Phil.

"You'll see 'em sooner or later," returned the old hunter, with conviction. "They are bound to come here."

"What makes you say they are bound to come?" questioned Dave, curiously.

"Is there any particular reason for it?"

"I think there is, young man. So far as I can understand it, I think the bears come here in the fall to get certain roots and herbs that they like to eat. I think they find more of 'em around here than they do anywhere else, and that's what fetches 'em."

"And do you think the bears keep the deer away from here?" questioned Roger.

"I don't know as to that. But I do know that bears and deer don't mix very well," answered Tad Rason.

While Mr. Appleby was negotiating with Mrs. Wadsworth and Mrs. Ba.s.swood for the loan of several pieces of rustic furniture which the bungalows contained, Della Ford and her aunt visited with the boys. The young actress wanted to know all about what the young folks at the bungalows had been doing, and expressed her delight at the cosiness of the place, and its beautiful surroundings.

Mr. Appleby, aided by Tad Rason, carried the borrowed furniture down to the motor-boat. There was more of it than the manager had at first antic.i.p.ated taking, and, as a consequence, the craft was well loaded.

"I don't see how we are going to sit in there with all that furniture packed around us!" exclaimed Della, in dismay, as she viewed the situation.

"You might sit in that rocking-chair on the bow," suggested Phil, with a broad smile; and at this suggestion there was a general laugh.

"No, thank you. I have no desire to be spilled overboard. I went overboard once, and that was quite enough," answered the young actress.

"I'll tell you what we might do," answered Dave. "We could take you and your aunt in one of the rowboats, and have the motor-boat tow it."

"Oh, that would be lovely!" cried Della. "What do you say, Aunt Bess; shall we do it?"

"I'm willing, if it is safe," answered the aunt, "I don't want to go to the bottom of this lake any more than I wanted to go to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean."

"It's perfectly safe," answered Dave. "The boat's a good broad one, so there is no danger of its tipping over--not unless Mr. Appleby makes a quick turn, and I don't suppose he will do that."

"If I pull your rowboat I'll be as steady as an old freight engine," was the manager's reply. "It's very kind of you boys to do this."

The best and broadest of the rowboats was brought around, and Della Ford and her aunt were a.s.sisted into the craft. Then, after the boys had procured a pair of oars, they, too, embarked, and the motor-boat headed back for the moving picture company's camp.

"h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo! Where are you going?"

The cry came from the sh.o.r.e at a point where the brook ran into the lake, and looking in that direction, those in the rowboat saw Jessie, Laura, and Belle just emerging from behind some brushwood and rocks. The girl from the West was swinging her broad hat vigorously.

"We are going to take these ladies home!" yelled Dave. "We'll be back soon."

"Oh, see; the motor-boat is loaded with furniture!" exclaimed Dave's sister. "What a funny sight!"

"I didn't know those folks were going to visit us to-day," was Jessie's comment, and her face showed she was not at all pleased.

"See! they have Miss Ford and her aunt with them," said Belle. "Miss Ford is a stunning girl; isn't she?"

"She certainly is quite good-looking," returned Laura. "What do you say, Jessie?"

"Oh, I don't think she is any better-looking than lots of other girls I know," returned Jessie, rather coldly. "Come on, let's get back to the bungalows; this long tramp has tired me dreadfully."

"You do look rather pale," said Belle, kindly. "Don't you feel well?"

"I've got a little headache, that's all. I think I'll go back to the bungalow and rest," returned Jessie; and went on ahead, soon disappearing within one of the buildings.

"Do you know, Laura, I don't believe Jessie likes that Miss Ford a bit,"

was the comment of the western girl, when she was alone with Dave's sister.

"Why shouldn't she like Miss Ford, Belle? She seems to be a nice enough girl, and I don't think the fact she acts in the movies ought to be held against her."

"I don't think it is that, Laura. It is something else."