CHAPTER XII
THE PLACE OF THE TURTLES
Fenn's chums hurried over to where, in the gleam of a lantern, he wascontemplating the slow-moving reptile. The turtle was a large one, of acommon species, and was ambling along as if it did not at all mind theattention it had attracted.
"Grab it, Fenn!" exclaimed Ned. "It'll be a dandy for your collection."
"That's what it will," agreed the stout youth, and he grabbed up theturtle, which at once drew in its tail, head and claws, presenting novantage spot to an enemy.
"By Caesar, here's another!" exclaimed Bart, a moment later. "Anotherturtle, Fenn!"
"Yes, and here's a third one!" added Frank. "It's a big one, too, Fenn.Shall I catch it for you?"
"Wait a minute, fellows," replied Fenn, earnestly. "Don't touch thoseturtles!"
"Why not?" asked Ned. "Are they poisonous?"
"No, but there's something queer about so many being out in the woods inthe middle of winter. It isn't natural. There is something out of theordinary, and we must see what it is."
"Maybe they're hunting for the one of their number who wears the diamondbracelet," suggested Bart, with a laugh, for, in spite of the gravity ofthe loss, he could not forbear an occasional joke at Fenn's rather oddtheory.
"No, it isn't that," went on Fenn earnestly. "But I did have a notionthat perhaps the turtles might have escaped from the queer man who wroteand offered to buy my collection--the man we suspect of stealing thebracelet."
"Why he isn't in this vicinity," remarked Frank.
"You don't know whether he is or not," was Fenn's answer. "This seems tobe a good place for turtles, though I can't understand why they shouldbe out in cold weather. But perhaps there is some reason for it."
There was, and a strange one, as the boys soon discovered.
"Anyhow, they're here," observed Ned, "and what are we going to do aboutit?"
"Don't touch 'em, I want to see in what direction they are traveling,"called Fenn, who, as soon as he had placed in a safe place the turtle hehad caught, came over to where his chums were contemplating the othertwo.
"They're both heading for the same place, wherever that is, if that'sany help to you," remarked Bart.
"Yes," spoke Fenn, "it may indicate something," and he looked at the bigreptiles, who were crawling along.
"They're going in the same way as the one was you got," declared Frank,and the others confirmed this.
For some minutes Fenn observed the movements of the turtles, until theydisappeared under some bushes. Then he straightened up and said:
"Well, I don't believe that mysterious man is in this vicinity, andcertainly none of these turtles is wearing a diamond bracelet. I admitI'm away off on that, fellows. But there's something queer here, and I'mgoing to get at the bottom of it. It isn't natural for turtles to be outso plentiful this time of year, and there must be some cause for it."
"Fenn, you can theorize about turtles all you like, but I want mysupper," called Ned.
"Same here," came from Frank. "Dish it up, cook!"
Thereupon Fenn gave over watching the turtles, and, a little later,seated cozily in the tent, the chums partook of a supper of canned bakedbeans, with hard-tack or pilot biscuit, and coffee. Then they sataround, discussing various matters, from the railroad accident to theirarrival in camp.
Cots were provided, with plenty of blankets, so they would not sufferfrom cold, and as an additional precaution a small fire was kept goingin the small, sheet-iron, wood-burning stove, which they had broughtalong to warm the sleeping tent.
"Ah, fellows, this is something like life," remarked Bart, as hearranged himself on his cot. "Listen to the wind howling outside. We'llhave more snow, I expect, before morning."
"Let it snow!" exclaimed Frank. "We're all right now. We'll have to haveour Christmas tree here, fellows. Did you bring anything along to put onit?"
"Oh, we'll hang up our stockings instead of having a tree," suggestedNed with a laugh. "But what's the matter with you, Fenn? Why are you soquiet?"
"He's thinking of some of the girls he left behind him," mocked Bart."Aren't you, Stumpy? Which particular one last gave you a lock of herhair?"
"Oh, cut it out!" begged Fenn. "I wasn't thinking of such nonsense atall. I was wondering where those turtles came from. This is a regularstamping place for them, and in the morning I'm going to go on asearch."
"Do you really think so many of them around here means anything?" askedFrank.
"It means something, certainly," replied Fenn. "This part of the Stateis noted for turtles, however, there being a number of differentspecies, but I never knew before that they came out in winter. That'swhat puzzles me."
"Maybe we're over a hidden volcano, and it's warmer than anywhere elsein the neighborhood," suggested Ned.
"Maybe," assented Fenn, "only it doesn't seem very warm just now.There's a draught somewhere. Bur-r-r-r! No wonder!" he exclaimed. "Thetent flap has come open. Who fastened it?"
"I did," confessed Frank. "I'll fix it." The canvas was soon madesecure, and then, while the wind whipped itself into a gale outside, theboys fell asleep in their warm tent, Fenn's last thoughts being about aplace where he had seen the three turtles.