And Elmer, noting this expression, that was almost of glee, knew that when the companions of Chatz fondly believed they had cured him of his silly faith in ghosts and such things, they had made a mistake. The snake had only been "scotched," not killed. It was already awakening again, under the first favorable conditions.
"Say, this ain't any part of the game, is it?" demanded Red.
"Yes, you don't expect us to guess what's become of Nat, and then find him grinning at us, perhaps astraddle of a limb up in a big tree?" remarked Larry.
"I asked these fellows," said Elmer, seriously, "and both Toby and Ty gave me their word of honor that no game or joke was set up between them. If Nat is playing a prank then he's doing it on his own account."
"And Nat ain't generally the fellow to think of playing a joke on his chums," declared Larry.
"Gee, this is getting wild and woolly now!" remarked Landy; "I'm all of a tremble. What if the poor fellow fell over this dam here, struck his head on a rock, and lies right now at the bottom of that black pool where the foam keeps on circling around and around. Ugh! It makes me shiver, fellows, honest and truly."
George, as usual, scoffed at the idea of anything having happened to Nat Scott.
"He'll show up as soon as he feels like it, make sure of that," he declared.
"Have you called him!" asked Matty.
"Yes, all of us did," replied Lil Artha, whose customary rollicking good nature seemed subdued in a measure for once.