"Well, I don't believe that mysterious man is in this vicinity, and certainly none of these turtles is wearing a diamond bracelet. I admit I'm away off on that, fellows. But there's something queer here, and I'm going to get at the bottom of it. It isn't natural for turtles to be out so 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 my supper," 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 baked beans, with hard-tack or pilot biscuit, and coffee. Then they sat around, discussing various matters, from the railroad accident to their arrival in camp.
Cots were provided, with plenty of blankets, so they would not suffer from cold, and as an additional precaution a small fire was kept going in the small, sheet-iron, wood-burning stove, which they had brought along to warm the sleeping tent.
"Ah, fellows, this is something like life," remarked Bart, as he arranged himself on his cot. "Listen to the wind howling outside. We'll have more snow, I expect, before morning."
"Let it snow!" exclaimed Frank. "We're all right now. We'll have to have our Christmas tree here, fellows. Did you bring anything along to put on it?"
"Oh, we'll hang up our stockings instead of having a tree," suggested Ned with a laugh. "But what's the matter with you, Fenn? Why are you so quiet?"
"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 her hair?"
"Oh, cut it out!" begged Fenn. "I wasn't thinking of such nonsense at all. I was wondering where those turtles came from. This is a regular stamping place for them, and in the morning I'm going to go on a search."
"Do you really think so many of them around here means anything?" asked Frank.
"It means something, certainly," replied Fenn. "This part of the State is noted for turtles, however, there being a number of different species, but I never knew before that they came out in winter. That's what puzzles me."
"Maybe we're over a hidden volcano, and it's warmer than anywhere else in the neighborhood," suggested Ned.