CHAPTER V.
WITH ROD AND REEL.
A great flash of fire burst from the double muzzle of the gun, and a crashing report woke the echoes of the woods and went reverberating across the bosom of the lake. Although staggered a bit by the recoil of the weapon, Sleuth seemed to see the white head of the figure at which he had fired fly off into space and go sailing away, visible for a moment against the sky ere it disappeared.
Needless to say, the sound of the shot brought the sleeping campers off their bed of boughs uttering exclamations of astonishment, alarm and interrogation.
“Wha-wha-what’s the mum-matter?” spluttered Springer.
“Great thutter!” gasped Crane. “Sleuth’s shot at somethin’.”
“What was it, Piper?” asked Stone.
“Yes, what did you fire at?” demanded Grant, reaching the agitated boy and grasping his shoulder.
“Oh, it was the most horrible thing you ever saw,” palpitated Piper. “It was right out there under a tree, a big black creature with a face as white as a sheet and fiery eyes as large as saucers. It had a frightful voice that made my blood run cold as ice.”
“Oh, come, Sleuth, what are you talking about?” remonstrated Rodney. “You’ve been dreaming.”