Jerry was as quick as lightning with his gun. He whirled around and let go almost before any of the others had discovered what object it was he had dodged.
"Talk to me about that, will you," exclaimed the marksman, as the riddled "varmint" tried to leap again, and fell back to breathe its last; "where was Frank all the while--what did he fire at, tell me?"
"This," remarked the other, quietly, stepping forward and picking up a monster of a bobcat that had lain, unnoticed by Jerry, amid the leaves still covering the ground from the previous Fall.
"Two of the critters! What do you know about that--a pair the very first night! Well, I reckon this old island was well named, after all. No wonder the boys never wanted to land here, even in the daytime. But I"d rather it was cats than wild men, or thieving hoboes."
After a search had failed to reveal any more of the "pestiferous cats,"
as Jerry delighted in calling them, the three boys crawled back under their blankets again, for the night air felt chilly, after being snuggled down so warmly.
No more alarms came that night, and later on the sky cleared, allowing the moon full sway.
As daylight advanced long before Jerry"s watch was over, it became a part of his duty to resuscitate the fire, and begin to get ready for breakfast.
They had laid out numerous things to be done on this day. First of all it was decided that two of them must hunt in company; and even those left in camp were not to separate more than they could help. Of course it might be necessary for one of the stay-at-homes to launch a canoe and try the fishing, if they expected to extend the variety of food in the larder; but there must be no solitary wandering about the strange island.
Frank and Jerry were chosen to make an exploration that day. They could start in and easily go around the island, exploring every part of it, and learning considerable about its secrets.
If the tramps were really hiding here, possibly some evidence of their presence would be found, the embers of a fire it might be.
Frank was somewhat provoked about the happening of the preceding night, and even thought it might be advisable to move the camp away from that bluff. The others convinced him, however, that they were just as safe there as in any other locality, and so he did not persist in this idea.
He did climb to the top of the bluff to examine the ground. Here Jerry joined him after a little.
"Any signs?" asked the latter, swinging over to where Frank knelt.
"Plenty. Here they crouched and watched us."
"Then there were more than one?" asked Jerry, eagerly.
"You can see the marks of two separate pair of shoes; and one of them small enough to belong to your Waddy Walsh. I think you said he was a squatty chap, and used to boast of his delicate hands and feet,"
continued Frank, pointing.
"You"re right. And that settles one thing. The hoboes stole our kettle, and not any wild man. I reckon they"re a little afraid of us, seeing we"re armed, and they may not be. Wonder what they thought we were shooting in the night?"
"All I hope is they"ll give us a wide berth after this. If they keep on trying to make us feed them, it"s going to spoil our outing some, I fear," remarked Frank, as he started to descend the bluff again.
After a serious consultation the party separated.
Frank and Jerry started off along the sh.o.r.e, heading to the west.
"If all goes well look for us some time before sunset. We"ve got a lunch along and want to do the job up brown while we"re at it, you know," said Frank, as he turned to wave his two comrades farewell.
"Good luck!" called Bluff, who was washing the dishes.
Snap!
"I"ve got you as you appear starting off on the great exploring expedition, fellows. If by any evil chance you never show up again, that picture will be cherished by your relatives," called Will.
"Talk to me about your croakers, will you? That"s a pleasant send-off, now," said Jerry, as he fell in beside his chum, and lost sight of the cheery camp.
They found the going rather rough at times, and what with climbing over obstacles and cutting a pa.s.sage through creepers that trailed down from the trees at such times as they pushed in from the sh.o.r.e, progress was rather slow.
At noon they had not gone more than a third of the way around the island.
"Here"s a good place to rest. I move we sit down, eat our grub, and take a few winks. I didn"t get much sleep last night, and feel dopy,"
remarked Jerry.
Truth to tell, Frank was not unwilling to comply. He was sleepy himself, and the April sun seemed unusually warm at this time of day.
"Just as you say. That snack of crackers and cheese and cold tongue would strike me about right. Down it is, then," he replied, dropping on the green gra.s.s.
They drank from the lake when thirsty, for the water was pure and cold.
After finishing their frugal meal the two lay back to rest. Frank watched the clouds pa.s.sing over for a time, but finally his eyes closed and he slept.
"Here, get up!" he heard some one say close to his ear.
Jerry was yawning and stretching. The sun seemed to be pretty well down the first half of the western heavens.
"How long have we been asleep here?" demanded Jerry, curiously.
"I"m ashamed to say several hours. It"s now three," laughed his comrade.
"Then we"d better be on the jump if we expect to get around the blessed old island to-day. I won"t hear of going back after starting out with such a grand hurrah."
Frank was quite of the same opinion. Accordingly the two pedestrians began to move along their way, following the sh.o.r.e line save in certain places where something out of the usual run attracted their attention.
All the while they were on the keen watch for any signs that would indicate the presence of human beings on the island.
Being able to keep track of their progress by watching the sh.o.r.e of the mainland, they knew when they had reached a point half way around.
"Now we"re on the home stretch," announced Jerry, as he looked over the lake in the direction of its southern terminus, not more than a quarter of a mile off.
"But the worst is yet to come," laughed Frank, simply to hear Jerry groan, and not because he really believed it to be the case.
A short time later they were tempted to enter the depths of the timber again to investigate some curious formation that Frank believed might be an Indian mound.
"I"d like to dig into it some time, and satisfy my curiosity," he declared.
"It makes a bully support for a fellow"s tired back, I know," said Jerry, as he spread himself upon the ground.
"Well, take a little rest, then, while I examine that other rise over there. It looks larger than this one, and if my suspicions prove true there ought to be a jolly lot of relics dug out of these mounds."
"All right, Frank, I"m agreeable. Don"t forget me, and go back to camp alone, you know," said Jerry, laughing, as he stretched himself out.
"I declare if the fellow isn"t thinking of taking another nap. Well, we may see fit to keep you on duty the whole of to-night, so prepare yourself."
With which warning Frank walked away. He arrived at the larger mound, and was so deeply interested in examining the same that the minutes crept along unheeded. He heard the cries of hawks quarreling in some nearby tree; then again sounds as of small animals snarling came from the brush beyond; but Frank paid little heed to any of these things.