“I guess we’d better get back before we get caught in any blizzard,” he decided.
Joe had been peering at Cabin Island, an intent expression on his face.
“Do any of you chaps see anyone on the island?” he said.
All looked. The island seemed deserted.
“You must be dreaming,” scoffed Chet. “There’s no one there.”
“I can’t see anyone now, but I’m sure I saw someone moving against the snow down by the northern end of the island.”
“Perhaps it was some animal,” Biff suggested.
“It looked like a man. Of course, he was so far away that I can’t be sure. I just caught a glimpse of him.”
“Well, we will find out when we get back.”
By the time they reached the boats again, Frank’s prediction of a storm seemed to be in a fair way of being verified. The whole western sky was black and a light breeze sent the snow skimming across the surface of the ice.
“We’ll just about make it. Thank goodness, the wind is in our favor,” said Frank, as he clambered into his boat.
They started off and made a quick run across the intervening stretch of ice. It was already growing dark when they reached the island. The boys could see the snowstorm approaching down the bay, sweeping toward them like a gigantic gray veil. It was beginning to snow and the air was filled with swirling white flakes.
“Just in time!” shouted Chet.
They put their boats in shelter for the night, then scrambled up the path toward the cabin. Frank unlocked the door and they dashed inside.
“We’ll get a fire started and have a feed.”
“Feed!” declared Chet. “We’ll have a banquet. I’m as hungry as a bear. I could eat my own boots, without salt and pepper.”
“You won’t have to. There’s plenty of grub.”
Frank began making up the fire. Chet went out into the kitchen to look over the food supplies with a hungry eye.
A moment later he emerged, his eyes almost popping out of his head.
“It’s gone!” he gasped.
“What’s gone?” demanded Joe.
“The grub!”
“What?”
“Every speck!” Chet was almost tearful. “There isn’t a bit of food in the kitchen.”
“There was plenty there this morning,” said Biff. “What happened to it?”
“Stolen. Come and see for yourselves.”
They all trooped into the kitchen.
Chet had spoken only too truly. All their food supplies had disappeared. The shelves had been swept clear. The lads gazed at the empty kitchen in consternation.
“Well, what do you know about that?” breathed Joe.
“Old Mother Hubbard had nothing on us,” muttered Biff.
Frank’s face was serious.
“I guess you were right, Joe, when you said you saw someone on the island. Some thief has been here while we were away. That’s a mighty mean trick. He hasn’t left us even a loaf of bread.”
“And a fine chance we have of getting any tonight, either,” Biff pointed out. “We can’t get back to town in this storm.”
The boys were disconsolate. The prospect was cheerless. After an entire afternoon in the open their appetites had been whetted to razor edge.
“Take off your boots, Chet,” said Joe, with a feeble attempt at a joke. “You can have your chance at eating them now.”
This effort fell flat. The boys were in no mood for jesting now. The loss of their food supplies was a serious matter.
“I wonder who could have done it,” said Chet.
Frank shrugged.
“Looks like some of Hanleigh’s work.”
“But why would he try to steal our supplies? What good would that do him? Perhaps it was only some sneak thief who chanced in here and saw a chance to make a good haul.”
“Perhaps. But I imagine it was Hanleigh. He knew we were here.”
“Wants to get us off the island,” remarked Joe. “Perhaps he figured that if he stole our food, we’d have to clear out.”
“We’ll show him.”
“But in the meantime,” moaned Chet, “I’m hungry.”
“Looks as if you’ll have to go without eating until morning. We can go down to that little village and buy some more food then.”
Chet patted his empty stomach.
“But I can’t wait until then.”
“You still have your boots,” Joe reminded him again.
Then a thoughtful look crossed Chet’s face.
“Just a minute!” he shouted, and ran out of the room.
“What’s he up to now?” demanded Biff.
They soon found out. Chet returned with one of the packsacks from under his bed.
“I just remembered. When we were unpacking the grub I forgot to take everything out of this packsack. Look!” He delved into it and produced half a loaf of bread, three tins of sardines, a can of salmon and a small quantity of tea in a canister.
The others raised a cheer of delight.
“Hurray!” shouted Biff. “We won’t starve after all.”
“You forgot to unpack it, did you?” said Frank pointedly. “I’ll bet you didn’t forget. You just cached that grub away in case you might get hungry some time during the night.”
“Now what good would a can of sardines do me in the middle of the night?” asked Chet.
“I know you. Never knew of you taking any chances on running out of food yet,” Frank told him. “Well, this time it worked out all right. We’ll help you get rid of your little supper, Chet.”
“There isn’t very much.”
“Enough to keep us from starving, at any rate.”
Soon, with a blazing fire casting a glow through the cabin, with the lamps lighted and with the table spread, the lads felt more cheerful. The meal was not at all what they had anticipated as a conclusion to their day, but their appetites were too keen to admit of any faultfinding.
“I suppose this means we go without breakfast,” groaned Chet, as soon as he had finished the last sardine.
“That’s right! Start worrying about breakfast the moment you’ve finished your supper,” said Biff. “I never saw such a hungry wolf in all my
