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Author of "The Boy Scouts First Camp Fire," "The Boy Scouts On the Trail," "The Boy Scouts In the Maine Woods," "The Boy Scouts Through the Big Timber," "The Boy Scouts In the Rockies"
[Illustration: "Good shot, Bob!" cried Thad. "Get another stone, quick, for he's coming after you." Page 146.
"DID anybody happen to see my knapsack around?"
"Why, you had it just a few minutes ago, Step Hen!"
"I know that, Bumpus; and I'd take my affidavy I laid it down on this rock."
"Well, don't whine so about a little thing like that, Step Hen; it ain't there now, and that's a fact."
"Somebody's gone and sneaked it on me, that's what. I'm the unluckiest feller in the whole bunch, for havin' queer things happen to him. Just can't lay a single thing I've got down anywhere, but what it disappears in the most _remarkable_ way you ever heard of, and bobs up somewhere else! I must be haunted, I'm beginnin' to believe. Do _you_ know anything about my knapsack, Giraffe?"
"Never touched your old grub sack, Step Hen; so don't you dare accuse me of playing a trick on you. Sure you didn't hang it up somewhere; I've known you to do some funny stunts that way;" and the tall boy called "Giraffe" by his mates, stretched his long neck in a most ridiculous manner, as he looked all around.
Eight boys were on a hike through the mountains of North Carolina. From the fact that they were all dressed in neat khaki uniforms it was evident that they must belong to some Boy Scout troop; and were off on a little excursion. This was exactly the truth; and they had come a long distance by rail before striking their present wild surroundings.