At that moment there was a cry from the tent and the professor hurried to it, to find that Bob was struggling to leave his cot because of a fever delusion that there was a big snake near him. The girls were frightened and it required all Mr. Snodgrass’s strength to hold Bob down until the spell passed. After that Ned, Jerry or the professor remained on duty with one of the girls, caring for the patient.
The camp was anything but a cheerful place. The girls wore anxious looks, and the two boys, in spite of their past experience in getting out of serious difficulties, had lost some of their good spirits. The professor did not give way to gloomy thoughts, but it was clear that he was worried.
In this way two days passed. Ned and Jerry took turns in cruising about in the Dartaway, looking for some means of egress from the lake, but none was to be seen. It was at the close of the second day that Jerry, returning in the motor boat, saw a small craft approaching their island, which was still drifting slowly.
“It’s a canoe,” he said, as he made the Dartaway fast and waded ashore to camp. “I hope it doesn’t contain an advance guard of ugly negroes or Indians.”
Thinking it best to be on the safe side, Jerry quietly summoned the professor and Ned. They got their guns and waited on shore. The canoe continued to approach. The three girls were in the tent with Bob.
“There are two men in it,” said Jerry.
“Then I guess we can take care of them,” remarked the professor.
“If there aren’t a lot more to follow,” added Ned.