"One thing sure—we'd better get away from here quick," said Tom.
"You said it! Ebeneezerr, but this place has got the Catskills and old Rip Van Winkle beat! Come on—quick!"
Tom was not sure that one side of the water was any safer than the other in this emergency, and he was almost too nonplussed to do anything, but surely they were in danger, he felt, and would better be upon their way without the loss of a minute. What troubled him not a little also was that the precious spy-glass and the compass were with the missing coats.
They could see now that the water was a long, narrow lake the ends of which were just discernible from the midway position along the shore where they stood, and the opposite shore was perhaps a mile distant.
"Are you game to swim it?" Archer asked.
They felt that this would be easier than the long tramp around and that they would have the advantage while swimming of an extended view and would avoid any danger which might lurk behind the trees.
They had almost reached the opposite shore when Archer sputtered and called out to Tom: "Look, look!"
Tom looked and saw, hanging from a branch on the shore they were nearing, the two missing field gray uniform coats.
This was too much. Speechless with amazement they clambered ashore and walked half fearfully up to their fugitive garments. There was no doubt about it, there were the two coats dangling from a low hanging branch, perfectly dry and in the pockets the spy-glass and the trusty compass. The two boys stared blankly at each other.
"Well—what—do—you—know—about—that?" said Archer.