[49]

As they came to the next corner Bob chanced to look back. He hung behind his chatting companions for a moment or two.

“That’s queer again,” he said to himself.

He had seen a man turn into the Dolby place. It was only a glimpse he had of the fellow, but Bob was quite startled.

“Hey, what are you lagging behind for?” called out Sammy, briskly.

“Pshaw!” mused Bob, “I’ve got my head so full of that tramp, I take every stranger I see for him. It couldn’t have been him I just saw go into Dolby’s. And if it was, what of it?”

With that Bob let the subject drift out of his mind. He joined his chums, who were gaily talking over their plans for the big bonfire on the beach of Rainbow Lake that night.

[50]

[50]

CHAPTER V THE BIG BONFIRE

THE BIG BONFIRE

“Bob, isn’t this fine?” cried Frank.

Bob

“Jolly!” replied Bob, with vim.

“And the eating—um! um!” gloated Sammy, nibbling at a toasted piece of cheese on the end of a stick.

The big bonfire was in progress, and it was a great success. During the afternoon Dave Duncan and some friends had gathered up all the driftwood along the beach of Rainbow Lake for half a mile. It was now blazing cheerily.

Others of the crowd had brought the eatables. A farmer’s boy had donated a quarter of a cheese. Another had brought a whole ham, home-smoked. The baker’s boy had come on the scene with a box of crackers and some doughnuts.

It was a regular toasting bee. The great fire cast a cheery glow out over the beautiful blue waters of the lake. It lit up a group of lively, happy faces, The 

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