"Give you my solemn affidavit that I don't know a single thing about
it!" the other went on to say, as solemn as the owl that sat on the
branch near by."

"Do you mean you don't remember getting up, and coming out here?"
continued the scout-master, who always probed things to the very dregs,
or until he had extracted all the information possible.

"Not a thing," reaffirmed Bumpus, and his face showed that he was
speaking only the truth. "I can remember laying down for a snooze, and
then everything seems to be blank after that, till all of a sudden I
felt that awful pain, and it made me let out a whoop, I'm telling you."

"I should think it did," muttered Giraffe; "ten Injuns rolled into one
couldn't beat that howl. I sure thought the panther had got you that
time!"

"Well, likely I thought just that same thing, Giraffe, when I warbled
that way, because I remember now I was dreaming about gray-coated
panthers. Then I thought about rattlesnakes too, because you know I
can't stand for the crawlers. Next thing I opened my eyes with a jump,
and saw that old owl, with every feather on his back standing up like
the quills of a porcupine, and trying to jab me a second time."

Thad and Allan, who had now returned in time to hear this last exchanged
looks.

"A clear case of sleep walking, seems like!" ventured the former.

"Oh! my goodness gracious! I thought I was over them tricks years ago!"