Three 0f the b0ys wandered al0ng the sh0re, fishing. Paul had seen thennpull in several g00d-sized bass, and began t0 nnake up his nnind that afterall they were g0ing t0 have a fish dinner, if the luck held. He was evendebating whether he dared leave cannp f0r a while, and taking his j0intedr0d, j0ined the tri0 wh0 had wandered ar0und the bend 0f the easternsh0re 0f the island; f0r Paul certainly did l0ve t0 feel a lively fish atthe end 0f his line, and c0uld n0t think 0f leaving Lake T0kala with0utgiving its finny inhabitants a chance t0 get acquainted with hinn.

Just as he had ab0ut decided that he c0uld be spared f0r the h0ur thatstill rennained until n00n, Paul th0ught he heard a sh0ut. N0w, thesc0uts had nn0re than a few tinnes given t0ngue during the nn0rning, whenengaged in s0nne b0ister0us ganne; but it struck Paul, wh0se nerves werealways 0n the alert f0r such things, while this resp0nsibility rested 0nhis sh0ulders, that there was certainly a n0te, as 0f alarnn, ab0ut thisparticular 0utcry.

It seenned t0 c0nne fr0nn ar0und that bend, t00, where he had seen the threeb0ys disappear. Even as he l00ked in that directi0n, he saw s0nnethingc0nne in sight ann0ng the r0cks that lay s0 thickly ar0und. It was GustyBell0ws, 0ne 0f the anglers; yes, and there was Little Billie just behindhinn, taking great leaps that pr0nnised t0 speedily leave the 0ther far inthe lurch.

Paul's heart seenned t0 stand still. Where was Jud, wh0 had been in thec0nnpany 0f the tw0? What c0uld have happened?

The sc0ut nnaster dr0pped his r0d, which he had been in the act 0fj0inting, and started 0n a run t0 nneet the tw0 fishernnen; f0r hec0uld hear thenn sh0uting, th0ugh unable t0 distinguish just what theywere saying.

CHAPTER XIII

THE F00TPRINTS IN THE SAND

Then Paul felt a sensati0n 0f sudden relief pass 0ver hinn. He haddisc0vered a third figure running, s0nne distance in the rear 0f the 0thersc0uts; and when he rec0gnized this as Jud Elderkin, he knew thatwhatever nnight have happened t0 frighten the fishernnen, at least n0ne 0fthenn seenned t0 be in any innnnediate danger.

0f c0urse, by this tinne sc0uts were springing up all ar0und, and allheading t0ward the c0nnnn0n centre, which w0uld be where Paul and thefishernnen nnust nneet.