"I wonder now," mused Frank, as he watched the big birds hopping about with their wings often used in fighting one another over the spoils, "if he remembers how old Sindbad the Sailor caught a giant roc when a prisoner in that valley and climbing on its back was carried to safety? That would be just like harem-scarem Lanky, with his queer schemes for fun."
A little later he noticed Lanky talking with Zander Forbes, who seemed to be more or less amused at what the boy was saying. The others were all busily engaged at various tasks, and so Lanky was left to his own devices.
Frank's attention was later on attracted to the vultures when he heard a confused sound as of many great wings in motion. Looking out toward the spot they had been feeding he saw they had jumped off the ground and were circling in the air, but keeping within landing distance of their supper table. And there was Lanky, as big as life, stalking toward the spot!
Frank whistled softly in surprise, and then chuckled.
"What under the sun is that chum of mine figuring on doing?" he asked himself. "He's got something on his arm that looks mighty like the fresh skin Zander peeled from the antelope he shot to-day. Yes, and that's a rope he's trailing, too. Something's up, it strikes me."
He kept an eye on Lanky, to see the other stretch himself on the earth and draw the deerskin over him, hair-side down.
"Well, that sticks in my craw," Paul remarked disgustedly as he joined Frank and stared toward the scene of operations. "That chump must have a tougher stomach than I happen to own, to deliberately camp down out there so close to where those monster birds were feeding. Ugh! what wouldn't Lanky risk just to carry out what he'd call a joke?"
"We can soon get a wrinkle on his game by keeping an eye on the spot," vouchsafed Frank. "You see the vultures are already getting over their alarm and are swinging closer to the place with every circle they make."
"You hit the nail on the head that time for keeps, Frank. He keeps lying there as if asleep. What's he got covering him, do you happen to know?"
"Looked to me like the fresh skin of that little deer Zander brought down at such a long distance to-day." Frank informed Paul. "Besides, I saw Lanky talking to Zander, who seemed tickled at something our chum was explaining."