Part 36 (1/2)

They had all heard something different, it developed. At least, they all had a different impression of the noise.

Cora described it as a ”trembling roar.”

Bess said it was a rumble, as though a heavy wagon had pa.s.sed in front of the bungalow.

Belle said it reminded her of a deep, heavy sound, such as she had once heard in a blast furnace.

It was reserved for Hazel to describe accurately the noise, though none of them knew her description was correct until afterward.

”It was like a factory or machine shop next door,” said Paul's sister.

”It seemed to shake the bungalow as though heavy machinery were working.”

”It must be the waterfall,” decided Jack. ”Only a large body of water, tumbling down into some chasm, could make a noise like that. There's no machinery around here. Besides, the waterfall is bigger than ever now, on account of the rain. It must be that.”

”It wasn't!” declared Cora, though when pressed for reasons to bolster up her denial she could give none. ”It wasn't that sort of noise at all,” she affirmed. ”It was more like--”

”What's that?” asked Belle so suddenly that the other girls jumped nervously.

It was the sound of a footstep on the porch, a firm, unhesitating footstep.

”I expect that's my husband,” said Mrs. Floyd.

It was Mr. Floyd, and he was, greatly surprised to see the ”whole family up,” as he expressed it.

”What's the matter?” he asked, looking around on the circle of rather startled faces, ending with his wife's. ”Did you sit up to see how late I got in? Strictly business, young ladies and gentlemen,” he went on, smiling at them. ”The committee had considerable to transact, and I had to stay.”

”This is a sort of surprise party,” Cora told him. ”Camp Surprise is living up to its name,” and she went on to tell about the noise, the others adding bits here and there.

”Pshaw now! That's queer!” commented Mr. Floyd. ”I have heard them rumblings myself, but I laid 'em to the waterfall. It's a curious cataract at times.”

”This noise,” began Cora, ”isn't like anything I ever--”

She paused midway in the sentence, and a strange look grew and spread over her face, as it did over the faces of the others.

”There it is now,” whispered Bess. ”That-that noise!”

They all heard it, a dull, rumbling roar that made the bungalow tremble as when a heavy wind blows and vibrates the timbers of a house.

”So that's what it is!” exclaimed Jack. ”This is my first experience.”

”I heard it once, though distantly,” said Walter.

”Listen!” cautioned Cora.

The noise seemed to increase.

”Say, that is curious!” commented Mr. Floyd. ”I never noticed that before. Where does it come from?”