They joined in the fun at their own expense, and were unstinted in their praise of the prize Grant had gained.
"We certainly got more than we were looking for that time," said George laughingly. "You are--"
He suddenly ceased speaking and gazed in surprise in the direction of the tent.
"What's the matter?" demanded John anxiously.
"Some man with a big black beard just ran around the other side of the tent," exclaimed George.
CHAPTER XXVI-AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER
"Are you sure you saw a man?" asked Grant skeptically.
"I know I did," replied George with the utmost conviction.
"What did he look like?"
"He looked like a tramp; a rough looking sort of a fellow with a black beard and an old slouch hat."
"Only one man?"
"That's all I saw."
"What shall we do?" demanded Fred blankly.
"We'll go down and see what he wants," said George in a matter of fact tone. "What else is there to do?"
"Suppose he's looking for trouble?" suggested Fred.
"Well then, he'll find it," said George grimly. "There are four of us to his one."
"He may not be alone," said Fred. "I think we'd better go slow."
"Grant has a gun."
"But he's not going to use it," said Grant quickly. "You don't catch me shooting at anybody, tramp or no tramp. I don't want any blood on my head."
"Suppose they attack us?" demanded George.
"'They,'" exclaimed Grant. "I thought you said you saw only one."
"That's all I did see. There may be more of them though."
"Probably a couple of guides," said John. "Let's go find out anyway."
"I'd be careful," warned Fred. "There's no use in taking chances."
"What's the matter with you, Fred?" demanded George. "What are you so nervous about?"
"I don't know. It seems funny to me though that a man like that should be hanging around our tent."
"He's probably waiting for us to come back."
"Then why did he duck behind the tent the minute he saw us?"
"Maybe he didn't see us at all."
"The thing to do is to go down there and find out," exclaimed Grant.
"Come on, Pop, you and I will go anyway."
"And so will I," added John.
"I'll go myself," said Fred. "I'm not afraid; all I said was that I thought we ought to be careful."
"We'll be careful," George assured him. "Come along."
The little band once again started towards the tent. As Fred had remarked it seemed a strange thing that any man like the one George had seen should be loitering around their camp. They had had no visitors that summer aside from their opponents in the water sports and Mr.
Maxwell, and the appearance of a stranger on the island was unusual enough to cause them some alarm.
Side by side they walked towards the spot where their tent was pitched.
No further sign of their visitor appeared and this in itself made the four boys somewhat uneasy.
"Where did he go, do you suppose?" whispered John.
"Are you sure you saw a man, Pop?" demanded Grant.
"Of course I did. Do you think I'm crazy?"
"Where is he then? No one else saw him."
George made no reply to this remark and in complete silence they continued on their way. At length they came to the tent itself but no one was to be seen. They peered inside, but it was empty of any living person. Grant turned to George triumphantly.
"You're seeing things to-day," he laughed. He laid the heron on the ground in front of the tent and placed his gun inside.
"I saw a man," insisted George.
"And you tried to make me see a live heron that was dead," said Grant.
"It's certainly strange," muttered George. "I know I saw a man. I'd take my dying oath on it."
"But where is he?" demanded Grant.
"That's just what I say," rejoined George. "Where is he?"
"He doesn't seem to be-" began John, when he suddenly stopped. "Look,"