"I—I thought I did."
"I wonder when they left?" mused Billy.
"Larry, what have you to say about that?" demanded George Baker.
"Absolutely nothing."
"They went away during your watch."
"You can't blame him," answered Sam. "Anybody would have been fooled under the circumstances."
"Don't try to make lame excuses," jeered Billy. "Be a man and own up. They outwitted you, and that's all there is about it. Now, what are we going to do?"
"Get out the launch and go on a hunt for them," declared George. "Any one got a better plan?"
No one had. They had no plans at all, but were too dazed by this last trick that had been played on them to be able to think at all clearly. They reached the shore and George stepped out. His foot had no more than touched the ground before that same wailing cry rang in their ears again.
"I tell you it's a banshee," cried Larry, his shock of red hair fairly standing on end.