told him the stranger was at least seventy or eighty years old.
"Pretty well, for an old man," was the answer. "Who are you?"
"We are four boys from Fairview. We came up here to go camping. Who are you?"
"Me? Don't you know who I am? I am Peter Peterson."
"Oh!" exclaimed the boys. They rememibered having once heard Jed Sanborn speak of Peter Peterson as an old fellow who lived among the hills bordering Lake Cameron. Peterson was a hermit, and having been crossed in love when he was a young man, he hated the sight of a woman.
"My name is Charley Dodge," said Snap. "My father owns a share in the Barnaby saw mill." And then the leader of the club introduced his chums. In the meantime the old hermit allowed his canoe to drift to shore and he stepped out and sat down on a rock.
"I know your father," he said to Snap, "and I know your folks," and he nodded to Shep. "Your father gave me some medicine when I was sick. So you came up here to go camping?"
"Yes."
"You are pretty brave lads to do that."
