There she lay, as trim and tight as if the exciting events that had followed the storm had never occurred.
But, as the lad was stepping forward with joyous anticipation of being reunited to his chums, he was brought to a sudden halt by a queer sound behind him.
Tom stood stock-still and listened intently.
The noise came again. It seemed to proceed from behind one of the nearby stacks of lumber.
"Funny sound," mused Tom; "wonder what it is? It——"
"Oo-oo-oo-h!"
"It's a man's groan," the lad exclaimed.
"Oh, don't strike me again! Please don't," came the gurgling moan once more.
"That fellow's badly hurt," decided Tom.
"Guess I'd better see what's the trouble," he resolved the next instant.