"Whoo, somethin' jumped at me!" replied the startled boy, panting for
breath; for he had fallen at least twice, in his haste to rejoin his
campmates near the blazing fire.

Max took hold of him as he came up, and started to ask questions.
Perhaps he already began to suspect that Bandy-legs was allowing his
fears to run away with his judgment. There was such a thing as being
frightened at one's own shadow.

"Are you sure you saw something, Bandy-legs?" he asked.

"Course I am," came the reply.

"And it wasn't your shadow this time?" Max continued.

Now, had Steve put It in exactly the same way, the boy would have shown
immediate indignation; but he seemed to understand that Max meant every
word, and was not simply trying to tease him. So he replied in like good
faith.

"It sure wasn't, Max. Why, just when I was goin' to bend down over my
canoe, to see how things looked inside, it gave a nasty little spit
straight in my face, and went whirling over the side. And, Max, it had a
tail as big as a broom, honest it did."

"Oh, that means it must have been a 'coon," remarked Max, beginning to
laugh.

"But what would a measly old raccoon want in my canoe?" demanded
Bandy-legs. "If he just had to come snoopin' around, why couldn't the