Part 8 (1/2)

”Listen,” he said, ”and you'll hear some more of the same kind.”

Hardly had he ceased speaking than there was another loud ”chug” heard.

”My, he jumped into the water that time, sure, if it _was_ a frog!” said Landy.

Then came a strange rattling sound, as of half a dozen ”plunks” all mixed up.

”He threw a handful then for a change, and good measure,” remarked Elmer, dryly.

”A handful of what?” echoed Ty.

”Stones!” replied the patrol leader.

The others stared at each other.

”Is _that_ what it is, then?” asked Landy, heaving a distinct sigh of relief. ”Why, of course, we all ought to have got on to it before now.

Stones always make that kind of plunk when they drop into the water from above. But, Elmer, whoever d'ye think it can be; and what's he trying to do--scare us?”

”Oh, that remains to be seen. Suppose you fellows go on getting supper ready, while I slip out quietly and investigate,” Elmer proposed.

”Don't take too many chances, remember, Elmer,” cautioned Ty, as he turned again to his frying pan, filled with fish.

”Yeth, go thlow, Elmer,” said Ted, shaking his head. ”You know there'th a bad lot of fellowth over in Fairfield, alwayth ready to play trickth on travelerth. It may be they only want to coax one of our crowd out, and then carry him off. Take a club along with you, Elmer.”

”Yes, do,” Landy added, thrusting a stout stick into the hand of the patrol leader. ”And use it if you have to. Remember, one call of the wolf will bring us along in a rush, Elmer. And I'm going to have some other nice clubs handy, in a minute or two.”

”Don't go to any trouble, because you may be disappointed,” chuckled Elmer, as he pushed back into the shadows, so that he could enter the tent.

Having done this, two minutes later he was crawling out from under the canvas at the back of the tent, having unfastened the same by uprooting the peg at that particular spot.

Of course it was easy enough for Elmer to creep away undetected by anyone who might be in a position to watch the camp. His experience on the plains of the new country up beyond the Saskatchewan River in Canada, where his father had been in charge of a relative's ranch and farm, was of considerable benefit to him now.

Once free from the light of the fire, Elmer stopped to listen and made up his mind concerning certain things. Then he again pushed forward.

He was now making something in the shape of a half circuit. If he kept on long enough he would presently bring up on the river bank below the camp; and this was in reality his destination; for he believed that the unknown party who was tossing those stones out into the river, with the intention of mystifying them, must be stationed somewhere there.

In fact, Elmer had remembered that just here the sh.o.r.e made a sort of little beach, which they could have used nicely as a landing place, had they possessed a boat. And he had also noted the fact that there was a great abundance of round stones there, very tempting to the average boy, who loves to hurl such things into the water, just to see them splash.

He was drawing near this particular spot now, and in order to avoid being seen, as his figure would be outlined against the sky, he dropped down on his hands and knees, crawling forward the last ten feet after this Indian fas.h.i.+on.

The darkness was not intense, and Elmer had a pair of unusually keen eyes. Hence, as he stopped there just above the little beach, he was able to make out a figure that seemed to be bent over as if searching for something.

”He's hunting another relay of stones,” thought Elmer, wondering who the party could be.

There was a slight possibility that it might turn out to be some wandering hobo, who thought he might cause the boys to temporarily abandon that fine supper, which he could s.n.a.t.c.h up and make away with.

Then, again, there was a chance of this fellow being only one of a number of the Fairfield roughs, who, having discovered their camp, were bound to do all they could to make trouble.

But Elmer did not take much stock in either of these theories. He was inclined to look upon the unknown as a friend, one of the fellows from Hickory Ridge, who had come out to join them for the last day of their stay on the Sweet.w.a.ter.

That was why he listened so keenly, for he hoped to catch some familiar sound calculated to tell the ident.i.ty of the dusky figure below.

The drone of voices from around the fire came to his ears, telling that his four chums had taken his advice, and were acting as though they had no particular interest in those queer noises.