Scornful laughter from the artillery answered my appeal.
"You'd better come in!" I called. "You can't tell what might happen if any of those fish should jump."
"Mind your business!" retorted Mrs. Batt. "We've had enough of your prevarications—"
Then, suddenly, without the faintest shadow of warning, from the centre of the lake a vast geyser of water towered a hundred feet in the air.
For one dreadful second I saw the raft hurled skyward, balanced on the crest of the stupendous fountain, spilling ladies, supper, guitars, and knitting in every direction.
Then a horrible thing occurred; fish after fish shot up out of the storm of water and foam, seizing, as they fell, ladies, luncheon, and knitting in mid-air, falling back with a crashing shock which seemed to rock the very mountains.
"Help!" I screamed. And fainted dead away.
