“Sounded like a gun,” said Jerry.
“It was a gun,” replied Ned. “It was over this way,” and he pointed to the left. “Come on. Maybe it’s a party of hunters.”
Calling to the professor, the boys turned in the direction from which the report had come. They had not gone far before another gun shot was heard and they knew they were in the right direction, but toward whom they were going they did know.
“Anyway it’s some person or persons,” argued Ned. “We can help them or they can help us. We’ll have company if we are lost.”
The gun continued to be fired at intervals and but for this the three would not have known how to proceed. The reports sound very close now and in about ten minutes the two boys and the professor saw something white glimmering before them in the light of the sun that was just breaking through the clouds.
“There’s the lake! There’s water! We’re on the shore!” cried Jerry.
A few moments later they had emerged from the dense forest and saw before them their own tent with Bob at the entrance loading and firing his rifle.
“Good boy!” cried Ned. “How did you think to do it, old chap? How are you?”
“I was worried when I found you all gone,” said the invalid. “I thought you might have gone off in the woods and, as I looked out of the tent I thought I saw the land moving. That scared me and I got up. I feared I was on a floating island so I fired the gun to call you back as I didn’t know what had happened while you were away.”
“You’re on a floating island all right,” remarked Jerry. “We got lost in the woods, looking for some way out of the difficulty, and your firing gave us the right direction.”