But Hank, who in his curtained-off place had been awakened by the confusion below him, declared he had seen or heard nothing.
“I’m a sound sleeper,” he said. “Once I get to bed I don’t do much else but sleep.”
So nothing was to be got out of him.
And it was difficult to tell whether or not Tess had dreamed about the man, as she had said she dreamed about the elephant and the mule. Neale volunteered to look on the bank underneath the window for a sign of footprints. He did look, using his flashlight, but discovered nothing.
“I guess it was all a dream,” said Ruth. “Go to sleep, Tess dear. You’ll be all right now.”
“I’m not going to sleep alone,” insisted the little girl, her lips beginning to quiver.
“I’ll stay with you,” offered Ruth, and so it was arranged.
“It’s an awful queer happening,” remarked Agnes.
“Lots of things seem queer on this trip,” put in Tess. “Maybe we better give up the houseboat trip.”
“You won’t say that in the morning,” laughed Neale.