“Ladies and gentlemen, you are now about to witness one of Emma Dean’s most notable transmigration feats. Keep your eyes on the performer and you will see that she has nothing up her sleeve—nor under her hat,” announced Hippy Wingate.
“Tip it over!” commanded Stacy, throwing his weight on the pole with Emma. “Watch the two twin-trees down there, but look sharply or you won’t see them when they disappear from the face of the earth,” he warned, strolling back towards his companions.
Emma’s boulder, not being quite round, moved very slowly at first, and once it threatened to stop altogether and go no further, but finally, gaining new impetus, it started savagely on its way to the ledge, where it did a clumsy hop into the air, then dived for the lake.
“It is going to hit the lake!” cried Grace.
“What did you think we were trying to hit?” demanded Stacy. “If it is a hit—if little Emma makes a killing, I did it. If she misses, she did it.”
“It’s a hit!” yelled Lieutenant Wingate.
“You don’t say?” wondered Stacy, turning quickly, the most amazed member of the Overland party.
Cheers greeted the achievement as two trees standing side by side in the lake disappeared as if by magic. Stacy threw out his chest and paraded back and forth with folded arms, an expression of dignified superiority on his face.
“I don’t have to work for a whole week,” observed Stacy.
“Oh, yes you do,” answered Elfreda. “You know you weren’t in the game—you are only the umpire. Further, Emma won the roll, and will have a vacation until to-morrow afternoon.”