Frank was already doing this very same thing; he struck his match even while Andy was calling so loudly for a light. When the lamp was brought into use the boys stared around at each other.
"Where's Stuttering Nat?" questioned Larry, suspiciously.
"H-h-here!" came a quavering voice, as the other pushed himself forward, so that none of them would believe he might be at fault, as he was not particularly desirous of a bath just then.
"Then we're all on deck; ain't that so, Frank?" asked Andy.
"Count noses, and you'll find it that way," returned the other Bird boy, as he calmly picked up his gun.
"Take the lamp, Andy, and fall in just behind me," he said.
"O-oh! Frank believes he's caught him!" gasped Elephant, in a quivering voice.
"Stop talking, and come on, everybody," Frank insisted.
Each boy had armed himself as best the occasion allowed. One carried a hammer, another a baseball bat, while Elephant had found his club, and Larry picked up a seven foot piece of piping, which he thrust ahead of him after the nature of a spear.
So they advanced in the direction of the end of the shed where Frank had arranged his trap. Every one of them felt his heart beating like a triphammer as the sound of writhing, accompanied by groans, came to their ears.