r than words what had happened. Frank jumped to
his feet, shouting:

"Wake up! wake up! we've caught something, fellows. Wake up everybody!"

CHAPTER XVI

THE CHIEF MEETS AN OLD FRIEND

There was a tremendous amount of excitement in the workshop when Frank
aroused his four chums by this cry. All around him he could hear them
calling out.

"Another fake alarm, I bet!" grumbled Larry.

"It's that miserable Elephant again," said Andy in disgust. "He ought
to be taken down to the lake and ducked, that's what!"

"Me ducked? I'd like to see you do it!" shrilled a voice close beside
Andy, and which he recognized as belonging to the runt.

"Hey! Frank, what is it?" demanded Larry.

"Light up! we want to see something!" called Andy, now beginning to
experience a strange sensation in the region of his heart, as the
possibility of its being the genuine article of alarm struck home.

Frank was already doing this very same thing; he struck his match even
while Andy was calling so loudly for a light. When the lamp was
brought into use the boys stared around at each other.

"Where's Stuttering Nat?" questioned Larry, suspiciously.

"H-h-here!" came a quavering voice, as the other pushed himself
forward, so that none of them would believe he might be at fault, as he
was not particularly desirous of a bath just then.

"Then we're all on deck; ain't that so, Frank?" asked Andy.

"Count noses, and you'll find it that way," returned the other Bird
boy, as he calmly picked up his gun.

"Take the lamp, Andy, and fall in just behind me," he said.

"O-oh! Frank believes he's caught him!" gasped Elephant, in a
quivering voice.

"Stop talking, and come on, everybody," Frank insisted.

Each boy had armed himself as best the occasion allowed. One carried a
hammer, another a baseball bat, while Elephant had found his club, and
Larry picked up a seven foot piece of piping, which he thrust ahead of
him after the nature of a spear.

So they advanced in the direction of the end of the shed where Frank
had arranged his trap. Every one of them felt his heart beating like a
triphammer as the sound of writhing, accompanied by groans, came to
their ears.

There seemed no reason to longer doubt but what the trap would be found
sprung, and game of some species within.

"Hold up that lamp, Andy!" said Frank, sternly. "Here, don't let your
hand tremble so. We must have light, you know. Steady now!"

"Oh! I see him