night," Dick suggested.

"I'll stand the first watch trick," proposed Dave. "It need be
only an hour long. I'll drink some more coffee, and then walk
a while, so as to be sure to keep awake."

"I'll take the second trick," nodded Dick.

The schedule for watch tricks was quickly made up. Then all but
Dave hastily sought their cots. Darkness was not an hour old
when Dave was the only member of the camp awake. Had the high
school boys been less healthy and sturdy their hearty suppers
might have summoned the nightmare, but they slept on soundly.

Dick, however, stretched, gaped, then sprang up when Darry called
him. Some of the others, when their turns came, did not respond
as readily, and had to be dragged from their cots and stood upright
before they were thoroughly awake.

It was shortly after one o'clock in the morning when Tom Reade,
then on watch, stepped lightly into the tent, passing through
the round of the cots, shaking each sleeper in turn.

"Those of you who want to listen to something interesting, get
up instantly!" Tom exclaimed in a low voice.

Three boys drowsily rolled over, going immediately back into sound
slumber. Dick and Dave, however, got up, pulling on their shoes.

"What's all that racket across the lake?" was Dick's prompt question