CHAPTER III Planning an Expedition
Shortly after supper Barry Garrison left the house and crossed the grassin the direction of Kent's home. But he was saved the trouble of ajourney to his chum's house by the appearance of Kent himself. He camedashing down the walk and joined Barry.
"Going for a walk?" he hailed.
"I'm going down to Sadler's store and get my ice skates," Barry replied."I left them there to be sharpened. Thought you'd like to go along."
"Glad to," nodded Kent, falling into step beside him. "I want to do somestudying a little later, and, after the supper I ate, I felt the needfor a brisk walk. I was going to drop in and see you for a second beforegoing back to the midnight oil."
"I wanted to see you," Barry informed him. "I've got quite an idea in myhead for our winter vacation."
"What? A hunting trip?"
"Yes, but not hunting animals. Hunting spooks!"
"What?" Kent demanded. "What did you say?"
"I said hunting spooks. Or ghosts or haunts or something. Think we couldtake a photograph of a rapping spook?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kent growled. "It all soundsgoofy to me!"
Barry laughed. "It did to me, when my father was telling me about it.Tune in to the proper station while I tell you something about it."
"I'm tuned in," Kent said. "You'll have to make it a good one, or itwill all be static. Let's hear it."
As the two of them walked slowly toward the business section ofCloverfield, Barry related the story which he had heard from his father.Kent's light and scornful attitude vanished as he listened, and he soonbecame as deeply interested as Barry had been. Their steps becameslower, and they no longer felt the coldness of the night air. They hadarrived outside the brightly lighted window of the hardware store justas Barry finished, and they lingered a moment to discuss it.
"That's a first-class mystery," Kent declared. "I'd like to go up thereand snoop around some."
"That's just what I had in mind," Barry told him. "I talked about itwith Dad at the supper table, and he wasn't very keen about it at first,but finally he said it wouldn't hurt anything for us to go up there andlook around. He said he would try and get permission for us to camp inthe Bronson cabin, which is in sight of the lodge. How does that strikeyou?"
"Right on the bull's-eye," answered Kent, promptly. "We can hike upthere in two days."
"We can skate up there in less time than that," Barry said. "The BuffaloRiver runs into the lake about two miles below the cabin and the lodge,and we could go that way. Even if we don't accomplish a thing towardsolving the mystery, we will at least have a good vacation, taking in askating trip and camping in a cabin."
"Sure thing! We've never camped in a cabin. Say, look who is in thehardware store."
Following the direction of Kent's nod, Barry glanced through the glass,and his eyes rested on the form of a boy about their own age, who wasexamining a sleeping bag. This young man was well dressed and wore anexpensive fur coat. On a counter near by a pile of camping equipment layspread out. Barry recognized the boy at once. It was Carter Wolf, theone who had been detected stealing from the lockers at school.
"Looks like Wolf is going somewhere," he said.
"Going to have a lot of duffle with him, too," added Kent. "This is thefirst time we've seen him since our affair of the locker room. Let's seeif he greets us with politeness."
They entered the store. There was only one clerk in attendance, and hewas busy with Carter Wolf. Just as they closed the door they heard Wolfpurchase the sleeping bag. He saw the boys and flushed slightly, butcontented himself with merely turning his back on them.
"Anything else, Mr. Wolf?" the clerk asked. Wolf consulted a list whichhe held in his hand.
"Just one thing more," he answered. "I want a lantern."
The clerk quickly procured one from stock. "You're buying a lot ofstuff, Mr. Wolf," he smiled. "Must be going on a camping tripsomewhere."
Wolf raised his voice slightly. "I am. A bunch of us are going up tocamp on Lake Arrowtip."
Barry and Kent exchanged glances and then looked frankly at the goodswhich Wolf had purchased. They were expensive things, and there was nodoubt that the rich boy was planning a real winter camping trip. Fishingtackle and an ax for ice fishing, an old stove, a rifle and severalboxes of shotgun shells, a hunting coat and cap, two pairs of boots, thesleeping bags for two other members of his party, and a handsome huntingknife. He gave directions for having the goods sent to his home and thenleft the store, ignoring the presence of the boys.
"Wonder whom he is going camping with?" Kent asked, as they waited forthe ice skates to be wrapped up.
"He goes with a crowd of fellows from Harrison," Barry said. "Probablythey are the ones who will go. He evidently intends to be right in ourterritory, so we'll have to make room for one another. I don't like himwell enough to want to be very near him or his crowd."
"I don't, either," Kent agreed. "He could be a nice fellow if he triedhard, but it is easier to be the other way. Trouble with him is, hisdaddy has always spoiled him. Well, we'll be in a cabin, so we'llprobably not conflict with one another."
They left the store and walked toward home, still discussing the thingnearest their minds. Close to Barry's house they met the twins, who werejust striding along under a lamplight.
"We'll have some news for them that will open their eyes," Kentchuckled.
The twins bore down on them. "Here you are!" Mac cried. "Tell us allabout the trip to Arrowtip Lake!"
"Yes," chimed in Tim. "When do we go up to the haunted lodge and getbusy?"