set willows lay before him.

"The fire's gone!" came in alarmed tones from Dave.

"_Tod--Oh, Tod!_" rang out once more through the still night air.

This time there was an answer, but not the one the boys expected. A
gruff voice demanded angrily:

"Say, you idiots--what in the thunder you want!"

"We're looking for a boy who was drowned up at----" began Jerry, who
was closest to the high point where a man was presently seen
stalking through the fringe of bushes.

"Boy who was drowned? _Calling_ for him! Ye crazy loons!"
interrupted the man.

"We don't know whether he was drowned or not," answered Jerry hotly.

"Well I'll never tell you," was the surly response. With a disgusted
shrug of the shoulders the great hulk of a man slouched back toward
the center of the island, pausing just before he disappeared once
more in the wilderness to warn:

"Any more of that howling's going to bring a charge of buckshot, and
I don't care which of you I hit."

"Do you care if we come over and look along the shore of the
island?" shouted Dave at the retreating figure.