“Now,” said Granger softly, “keep perfectly still and watch me materialize.”
He waited until the boat seemed to pause some rods from the shore. It contained a number of persons, whose words could be distinctly heard. One man was laughing in a boasting way as he told the others that it was all a ridiculous piece of folly, but a nervous, excited woman was begging him to keep still.
Crouching, Granger put his hand on the dog, whispering a command:
“Sing, Bob—sing.”
Immediately the animal lifted its muzzle and gave vent to the most doleful howling imaginable. Within four feet of the creature, Piper felt a momentary symptom of the emotion that had possessed him on the occasion when his ears were first greeted by that awesome sound.
From the boat there came sudden little exclamations and screams, both masculine and feminine.
“I told you!” one of the ladies was heard repeating triumphantly. “I’ve heard it before. Now watch; you’ll see something more.”
“Good boy, Bob,” whispered Granger, rising. “Easy, sir. Come.”
Very deliberately and very slowly he stepped forth from the darkness of the pines. In truth, he moved so slowly that at a distance, seen through the darkness, it might have seemed that he simply appeared, without taking any steps at all. Imitating his master, the dog likewise advanced until both stood out in view, with the dark trees as a background.
Still more excited exclamations rose from the party in the boat.