crook of one elbow he carried a shotgun, while even as Jerry turned
in his seat, the other arm was raised and a big fist shaken.

The next instant they were assured that this was the same man as had
warned them away before. There was no mistaking the voice that
bellowed across the water. Neither was there any mistaking the
meaning of the brief sentence:

"Get to thunder out o' here!"

Jerry stood up in the boat and waved a friendly hand in the general
direction of the angry man, and called pleasantly:

"We were just coming over to see about a boy we think landed on
_your_ island last night or early this morning. We found his boat
down at the bridge and we figured that he must have----"

As Jerry talked, Dave had been slyly urging the boat closer to
shore, but at a sudden interruption from the island, both he and
Jerry paused.

"You come another foot closer, you young idiots, and I'll fill you
full of rock salt. I loaded up especial for you when you raised that
rumpus last night; I knew durned well you'd be coming back."

"Have you seen anything of our friend?" cried Dave anxiously, trying
to smooth things over by being civil.

"If he's anything like you two, I hope I never do."