All looked around the tent, but failed to catch sight of Tom. Then they hurried to the edge of the lake, but nobody was there.
“Tom! I say Tom!” yelled Sam. “Where are you?”
All listened, but no reply came back. But they heard a curious noise at a distance up the lake shore.
“Maybe he is in trouble!” cried Dick. “Spread out and look for him!”
One of the boys ran up the shore and one down, and Fred and Hans walked towards the woods, the former carrying the shotgun.
“Do you dink a—a bear cotched him?” asked the German youth, in a tragic whisper.
“I don’t know what to think,” answered Fred.
Dick had gone up the shore, where the rocks were rather rough. As he came out on the point he heard a peculiar noise and then a yell.
“A home run! A home run!” reached his ears. “Everybody in the game!” And then, to his utter amazement, Tom appeared, running in a queer fashion. He was headed directly for the lake.
“He’s asleep! He’s got a nightmare!” thought Dick, and as Tom attempted to pass him he caught his brother by the arm.