Then Larry had not long to wait. Stooping by the edge of the lake, he bared his arm and leaned forward, as alert as a cat watching for a mouse. Suddenly his hand shot below the surface, there was a splash, and a plump fish flew out beyond the expectant Wharton. He had his hand in a twinkling on the flapping prize that gleamed in the firelight.
"Cook him quick, Whart!" cried the delighted Larry; "there's no need to wait till I git more; that's only a starter."
Each did his duty, the elder stopping work when he had landed a couple more, one of which weighed fully two pounds. By that time the younger of the two was broiling the first in the hot flames, the appetizing odor of which made the couple almost irrestrainable. Larry wanted to attack it before it was finished, but Wharton insisted that the meal should be in the best style of the art. They carried no condiment with them except that which excels others--hunger.
It was a most nourishing and toothsome repast that they made. Nothing, indeed, could have been more enjoyable. The lake was overflowing with edible fish, for probably no white men had ever drawn one from the waters, and if the Indians took any they were few in number. The light of the fire attracted many to the spot.
"Now that we've had such a good supper," said Wharton, "I think it's best to let the fire go out."
Larry scattered the embers with his shoes, so that in a few minutes little was left of them. Then he seated himself beside his friend, and was on the point of making some characteristic remark when Wharton excitedly grasped his arm and whispered:
"Hark! do you hear that? What does it mean?"
"It's a ghost!" replied the awed Larry; "let's be getting out of this as fast as we can!"
From somewhere in the gloomy solitude came a low quavering monotone that had a most uncanny sound in the weird midnight. The youths never before had heard anything of the kind, and the bravest men would have been impressed by it.
Larry, in his fright, sprang to his feet, and would have fled deeper into the woods, but his companion caught his arm and whispered:
"Havn't I told ye!" demanded the other with husky impatience; "it's a ghost--it's a hobgoblin."
They made sure that they were well protected by shadow, while they waited for a solution of the extraordinary occurrence.