“Something got us. It was a snake,” howled Chunky. “Oh, wow; oh, wow!”
“A snake? Nonsense!” exploded the Professor. “There are no snakes in Alaska.”
“There’s one here and he’s the biggest one you ever saw. Why, he twisted right around 111my leg and dragged me out. I think he bit me, too,” wailed Chunky.
“Somebody make a light here,” commanded the Professor.
“That’s what I say,” shouted Ned. “You pulled half the hair out of my head, Chunky. I’ll be even with you for that.”
“Did the Thing get you, too?” questioned Walter.
“Get me? I should say it did. I never had anything grip me like that.”
Tad was busy starting the fire. The Professor, by this time, realized that the boys were in earnest; that something really had happened to disturb them, though he had not the least idea that it had been as bad as they said.
The fire began snapping briskly. Tad was bending over it in his pajamas, standing as far back as possible to avoid the sparks. Glancing at the others out of the corners of his eyes, he observed that Stacy’s face was pale; Ned Rector’s was flushed and angry, and Ned kept passing a hand over his head where the hair had come out. Tad could barely keep back the laughter.
“Now, show me!” demanded the Professor after the camp had been lighted up.