Larry
sleep until one had arrived, when without the slightest warning there
arose the most dreadful racket any one could well imagine.

It sounded as though the whole roof might be falling in, what with the
clatter of tinpans, the upsetting of chairs and the half muffled shouts
that punctuated the entire clamor. And Frank leaped to his feet,
believing on the spur of the moment that his trap had been sprung!

CHAPTER XV

THE AWAKENING

"What is it, Frank?" shouted Larry, as he scrambled to his feet, and
began clawing around in the dark for the one he called upon.

"We've got him!" sang out Andy, gleefully. "Frank, it worked fine and
dandy. My! what a noise he kicks up!"

"Where's Elephant?" asked Frank, suspiciously.

"Sleeping through it all. An earthquake wouldn't wake him up, once he
gets to going," snorted Larry.

"Keep quiet; I'm going to light a lamp!" Frank went on, as he reached
out to a spot where he knew he had left a box of matches handy for just
such an emergency.

"Ouch! somebody kicked me then!" Larry shouted. "Frank, there's more'n
one of 'em, and they're inside here, feeling around for us. Go slow,
Frank! Have your gun ready when you light up. Pepper 'em good, now!
Who's afraid?"

"Wait! don't shoot, Frank! It's only me!" shrilled a voice as the
speaker managed to get his head out from the muffling folds of the
blanket.

Then came the scratch of the match in Frank's hand. He held it up
first in order to see what was going on; and then with a burst of
laughter began to apply the flickering flame to the wick of the ready
lamp.

And as the light filled the interior of the shed the boys saw a sight
that sent them off into spasms of uproarious merriment. Yes, it was
Elephant all right, just as he had so wildly declared when he heard all
that threatening talk about guns and "peppering" and such dire things.

He had evidently fallen out of the canoe as he tossed about during some
dream that excited his mind. In tumbling to the floor his heels had
upset the entire outfit of tin kettles and pans that Andy had fetched
from the house. Such a clattering as they had made upon being dashed
to the floor. And as if that were not enough Elephant had managed to
turn a chair over with the lot, adding to the confusion liberally.

Larry helped him up, for as he was swathed from head to foot in his
flaming red horse blanket the other was quite unable to manage alone.
Poor Elephant rubbed