“We’ll try it, all right, in the morning. Ethan will have to get our minnows for us. Hark! what’s that?”
The boys were now near the camp, and suddenly stopped as the sound of some one calling was heard. And yet the voice was more like that of one in distress, and fearful that something was wrong they began to run.
As they came to a place from which they could see into the interior of their camping place, they stopped and gazed curiously at the sight before them. Tom, evidently thinking that he was unobserved, had taken a position in front of one of the tents and was looking up into the sky. His arms were occasionally flung out, moving with the grace with which a pump handle performs its duties. He was standing with his feet far apart, and his entire bearing betokened the evident excitement under which he was laboring.
The startled boys were about to rush forward to his assistance, when they were still further astonished by the words which Tom thundered forth.
“Tew be—or not tew be,” shouted the young fisherman.
The listening lads gazed blankly at one another, but before they could speak Tom’s voice was heard again.
“Tew be—,” then came a long pause before he shouted, “or not tew be.” His arms were again flung out wildly and his face was still turned toward the sky. Apparently the question received no answer, and varying the emphasis and inflection, the sadly troubled Tom again broke forth,—
“Tew be-e-e, or not tew be-e-e-e.”
Again our boys gazed blankly, first at the excited young fellow before them, and then into one another’s faces.