A MYSTERY, TO START WITH

While Ethan, Phil and X-Ray Tyson seemed to grasp the true significancernof this astonishing discovery, Lub as yet had not managed to get itrnthrough his head. He was a little dense about some things, although arnclever enough scholar when at school.rnrn"The ashes warm, you say, Ethan?" he burst out with. "Now, that's arnfunny thing. What would make them hold heat that way, when there's not arnsign of anybody around?"rnrn"There _has_ been somebody here, and only a short time ago, don't yournsee?" explained Phil.rnrn"And like as not they heard us cheering when we glimpsed the lake, andrncleared out in a big hurry," Ethan went on to say.rnrn"Cleared out?" echoed Lub'. "Well, why should they run from us, tell me?rnWe don't look dangerous, as far as I can see. We wouldn't bother hurtingrnanybody; and didn't Phil say a while back that if we found somernfishermen in his shack we'd just shy off, and build one for ourselves?"rnrn"Yes, but these people didn't hear Phil say that; we were half a milernand more away from here at the time," explained X-Ray.rnrn"And they couldn't begin to tell just who was coming," added Phil.rnrn"It might be!" exclaimed Ethan, "that they took us for game wardens.rnMebbe now they've been shooting deer out of season, and got cold feetrnwhen they knew some people were coming in to the lake."rnrnPhil nodded his head in the affirmative, when he saw that Ethan wasrnlooking to find out just how that suggestion struck him.rnrn"I rather think you've struck the right nail on the head there, Ethan,"rnhe told the other. "It seems the most reasonable explanation for theirrnclearing out in such a big hurry."rnrn"They tried to put the fire out too, didn't they, Phil?"rnrnIt was X-Ray Tyson who asked this. Those keen eyes of his had madernanother discovery, and he was even then pointing the same out to hisrnchums.rnrn"Yes, I had noticed that some one had certainly thrown water on thernfire," said Phil. "You can see where it washed the ashes off thisrncharred piece of wood; and besides, it made little furrows in thernashes."rnrn"That's an old trick in the woods," remarked Ethan, with a superior air;"fact is, no true woodsman would think of breaking camp without firstrnmaking sure every spark of his fire was put out. Lots of forest firesrnhave come from carelessness in guides leaving red cinders behind them."rnrn"Yes," Phil added, "because often the wind rises, and whirls those samerncinders to leeward, where they fall in a bunch of dry leaves, and beginrnto get their work in. But when people live in cabins they seldom botherrnwetting the ashes, unless they've got a mighty good reason for wantingrnto hide the facts."rnrn"And these people did," added Ethan, conclusively.rnrn"Let's look around some," suggested X-Ray.rnrnTwo of the others thought this a good idea, for they immediately startedrna search of the interior of the cabin, their idea being to find somernclue that might tell just who the late mysterious inmates were, and whyrnthey had fled so hurriedly.rnrnLub may have been just as curious as his mates; but he was very tiredrnafter the long and arduous walk, so that apparently he believed threerncould cover the field just as thoroughly as four. At any rate he showedrnno sign of meaning to quit his seat upon the rude stool he had found;rnbut leaning forward, watched operations, at the same time rubbing hisrnshins sympathetically.rnrn"What's this on the peg up here?" exclaimed X-Ray, the very first thing.rnrn"Looks like some sort of a hat to me," remarked Ethan.rnrn"Just what it is; but say, take notice of the size, will you? It's arn_child's_ hat, as sure as you live! Why, there must have been a childrnalong with the lot!"rnrn"That's queer!" Lub observed, not wanting to be wholly ignored.rnrn"Game poachers they may have been," muttered Ethan, "but if there was arnlittle chap along, there must have been a family of 'em. See if yourncould pick up such a thing now as a hair-pin, or any other womanrnbusiness."rnrnThey went to scrutinizing the cracks of the floor more closely thanrnever. That suggestion on the part of Ethan was worth trying out. Ofrncourse the presence of any little article like a hair-pin would showrnthat a woman had been there.rnrn"I don't hear anybody sing out!" remarked X-Ray Tyson, presently; "andrnon that account it looks like we hadn't discovered anything worthrnmentioning. What gets me is, however could they have cleaned the oldrnshack out so quick, and never left anything worth mentioning behindrn'em?"rnrn"From the time we sighted the cabin, back to when we first whooped,rncouldn't have been more'n eight minutes, I should think," Lub gravelyrnannounced.rnrn"Lots could be done in that time," asserted Phil; "but all the same I amrnbothered to know why they'd be in such a rattling big hurry. It might bernthey knew about us being on the way longer than eight minutes."rnrn"Who would have called 'em up on the phone, and mentioned the fact?"rnasked X-Ray, meaning to be humorous.rnrn"Well, one of the lot may have seen us miles back, and put for the cabinrnby some short-cut we don't know anything about," Phil told him.rnrn"That could be, of course," admitted Ethan, after considering the matterrnseriously.rnrn"Mebbe we'll never know the truth, which would be too bad," Lubrncontinued; for a mystery was a source of constant anxiety to him; he wasrnso frank and straightforward himself that double dealing seemed foreignrnto his nature.rnrn"Well, as we didn't come all the way up here just to worry our headsrnover guessing hard problems, I guess we won't lose any sleep," Ethanrnwent on to say, in his easy-going way.rnrn"I'm wondering what made all these burns on the floor," Phil told them;"and on this table, too. In these days people don't mold bullets likernthey used to years ago, when the pioneers were settling the wilderness;rnand yet that's what it looks like to me."rnrn"The place isn't as clean as it might be," Ethan now remarked, "and thernfirst thing we'll have to do in the morning will be to tidy up. I'llrnmake a broom out of twigs, like I've seen poor emigrants do. It answersrnthe purpose pretty well, too."rnrnHe was prying around in one of the bunks while saying this, as though hernhad suspicions; which Lub, who was anxiously watching him, hoped in hisrnheart might turn out to be groundless.rnrnPhil had turned to other things, and was proceeding to undo his pack.rnThis caught Lub's eye, and caused the worried expression on his face torngive way to one of pleasure. He knew that such a move meant it wasrngetting time for them to think of supper; and Lub was always ready to dornhis part toward providing a meal; oh, yes, and in disposing of the same,rntoo.rnrn"Wow! you quit too soon!" suddenly yelped X-Ray, who had continuedrnprowling on hands and knees after Phil and Ethan had stopped searchingrnthe floor.rnrn"Found something, have you?" asked the former, without looking up fromrnhis job of opening the contents of his pack.rnrn"Is it worth a hair-pin, X-Ray?" chirped Ethan, who had been gathering arnhandful of timber in a corner where a lot of wood lay in a pile, readyrnfor burning.rnrn"You could buy a thousand with it, I reckon!" was the astonishingrndeclaration of the finder, which remark caused every one to immediatelyrntake notice.rnrnThe boy with the sharp eyes was holding something up between thumb andrnforefinger. It shone in the last rays of the setting sun, as they camerninto the cabin through a small window in the western side.rnrn"Why, what's this mean?" ejaculated Ethan; "looks like you've gone andrnstruck a silver mine, X-Ray! That's a half dollar, ain't it? D'ye meanrnto say you found it on this same floor?"rnrn"Just what I did, and deep down in a crack, where it must have slid, sornnobody noticed it!" exclaimed the other, exultantly. "Now, needn't allrnget busy looking, because I reckon it's the only coin there is. That'srnmy reward for keeping everlastingly at it. You fellows are ready to givernup too easy. Say, did you ever see a brighter half dollar than that?rnLooks like she just came from the mint, hey?"rnrn"Perhaps it did!" said Phil, solemnly.rnrnWhen he said that the others all focussed their eyes on Phil's face.rnThey knew he would not have spoken in such a strain unless he had somerngood reason for saying what he did.rnrn"Explain what you mean, please, Phil; that's a good fellow," urged Lub.rnrnX-Ray was not so dense, for he instantly exclaimed.rnrn"Why, don't you see, Phil reckons that this half-dollar may have beenrncoined right here in this birch bark cabin!"rnrn"Whew! counterfeit, is it?" gasped Ethan, whose breath had almost beenrntaken away with the momentous discovery. "Then I guess I ain't going tornbother getting down on my knees, and doing any hunting for bogus money."rnrnThe finder apparently did not much fancy having his prize counted sornmeanly. He immediately proceeded to bite the coin, and then started tornringing it on the hard surface of the oak table that had all thernscorched spots on it, mentioned by Phil.rnrn"It _tastes_ good; and listen to the sweet ring, would you, fellows?"rnX-Ray hastened to say. "If it's a punk fifty-center, then it's therngreatest imitation ever was. I'd just like to have a cartload of thernsame; I think I'd call myself rich."rnrn"If there's any suspicion fixed on the coin," Lub observed, ponderously,rnjust as he had heard his father, the judge, deliver an opinion in court,"I'd rather be excused from carrying it around on _my_ person. The law,rnyou know, does not look upon ignorance as innocence. Better toss thatrnthing as far away as you can in the morning, X-Ray. I'd hate to think ofrnyou doing time for having it in your possession."rnrn"Hanged if I do," muttered the other. "I'm all worked up now over it,rnand mean to get the opinion of Mr. Budge, the cashier of our bank. Herncan smell a counterfeit as soon as he sets eyes on one. He'll fix allrnthat up, believe me."rnrn"But, Phil," Ethan remarked, just then, "what was that you were sayingrnabout all the scorched places on the table? If these people were notrnmolding bullets they may have been using melted metal for anotherrnpurpose, and one not quite so lawful, eh?"rnrn"It looks a little that way, I must say," Phil admitted.rnrn"Give us something to do prying around while we're up here," suggestedrnX-Ray; "seeing if we can run across their _cache_ where they've gone andrnhid away their molds, and other stuff."rnrn"Oh! now you're only guessing," Lub told him. "It may be they were gamernpoachers after all, no matter if the coin is a bad one. I'm sorry thisrnhad to crop up the first thing, when we aimed to have such a jolly timernof it here."rnrn"We'll have that, all right, whether or no," said Phil; "and first ofrnall let's get busy with our duffle. If we're going to live in this shackrnit's our duty to make it look like home to us. Ethan, suppose you attendrnto the fire, and the rest of us will take care of the cooking."rnrn"That's the ticket!" Lub ventured; "if I can do anything to help justrnlet me sit here, and peel potatoes, or make the coffee. I'm prettyrntired, you know; and besides it seems to me I get in everybody's wayrnwhen I move around."rnrn"Because you occupy so much room, Lub," X-Ray told him, cheerfully; "butrnit's all right, and we'll find some use for your hands. How about water;rnshall I take our collapsible pail and fetch some from the lake?"rnrnUpon being told that some one must go, the spry lad darted out of therndoor, and reappeared a few minutes later with a brimming pail.rnrn"I want to tell you all that it's going to be a dandy night," hernchortled as he set the pail carefully down so that Lub, who was holdingrnthe aluminum coffee pot in his hands, could easily reach it; "moon'srnjust coming up over across the lake, and about as full as could be."rnrn"Well, some of the rest of us are hoping to be in the same conditionrnbefore a great while," Ethan ventured, as he stepped over to the door,rnand looked out, to immediately add: "I should say it is a gloriousrnsight, with that yellow streak shining across the water, and the littlernwavelets dancing like silver. Phil, this is the greatest place ever. Ifrnyou hunted a whole year you couldn't beat it. And we ought to have therntime of our lives while we're up at Birch Bark Lodge."rnrnAll of them were filled with delight. Being only boys, and with nornparticular cares weighing heavily on their minds, they refused to seernany cloud on the horizon. Everything was as clear and lovely as the skyrninto which that full moon was climbing so sturdily.rnrnSoon the delightful odors of supper began to pervade the atmosphere.rnThat made it seem more than ever like a real camp. Lub was doing hisrnshare of the work like a hero. They had found a place where he could sitrnat one side of the fire, and here he attended to the coffee, as well asrnlooked after the big saucepan of potatoes and onions that had beenrnplaced on the red coals. Lub's round face was about as fiery as thernblaze that crackled and danced at the back of the hearth; and he oftenrnhad to mop his streaming brow; but he stuck heroically at his task tornthe bitter end.rnrnThen came his reward when they sat around, and every fellow had arnheaping pannikin between his knees, or on the small table, flanked by arncup, also of light aluminum, filled with coffee.rnrnSeeing that they were all helped Phil knocked on the table, and held uprnhis cup.rnrn"Before we take our first bite, fellows," he went on to say, solemnly;"I think we ought to drink to the success of our camping trip up herernin the Adirondacks proper. Coffee is the only proper liquid to drinkrnthat toast in, so up with your cups, every one. Here's to the MountainrnBoys, and may they enjoy every minute of their stay at Birch BarkrnCabin!"rnrn"Drink it down!" cried X-Ray Tyson, noisily.rnrnWith that they took the first swallow of the nectar that Lub had brewed.rnNever had its like been tasted at home, amidst prosaic surroundings;rnthere was something in the atmosphere of the mountains that madernordinary things assume a different aspect; their hard tramp had arousedrntheir appetites amazingly, and just then those four boys were ready tornadmit that this was the life worth while.rnrnFor the next half-hour they sat there on such stools as they could find,rnand proceeded to "lick the platter clean;" inasmuch as there was not arnparticle left when they had finished supper. But even Lub confessed thatrnhe had had quite enough.