question he had been asking himself; for he wondered whether these
fellows could have heard about the scare Herb and his friends received
some little time ago, when they tried to stop on the island over night.

Apparently, then, they had, and the fact had even made a strong
impression on the weakest one of the lot, Amiel Toots. And Max was not
so sure about the others being very far removed from fear in connection
with that same subject, much as they made out to show courage.

"It's going to work all right, see if it don't," Max whispered to
himself, as he began to make ready to start things moving.

First of all he wanted to screen his own body completely from sight; for
when the sudden vivid flash came it would disclose every little object
around for a radius of many feet. This was easily accomplished. A
convenient tree trunk offered a friendly asylum; and back of this he
might hide, so that no one could see him, from the river side at least.

First of all he gave a very dismal groan. Max was not up in matters
pertaining to ghosts in general, and could only make a guess at emitting
the proper kind of sound; but really it did seem quite "shivery," even
to the boy responsible for making it.

"Glory be! What was that?" he heard Amiel ask, instantly.

Utter silence followed, and apparently everyone in the boat was
listening with might and main for a repetition of the groan. Max thought
it would be a pity to disappoint those fellows. They had come so _very_
far just to have some fun; and if they were now compelled to go all the
way back to Carson without ever having the least amusement, think of the