anation. Now I've known a chained dog to
make a noise like that, a sort of half bay, half growl that would give
you a start until you found out the cause."

"But we've understood they keep no dog up here," urged Bluff. "And if
they did have one wouldn't he have scented us, and started barking
long ago?"

"What you say sounds reasonable enough, Bluff," Frank admitted. "It
couldn't have been a donkey braying either, because we know how they
drag it out. Besides unless I'm mistaken the sound came straight from
the direction of the house itself."

"Sure it did," said Bluff, as they started to pass through the gap
that could be made by swinging the loose board aside. "I wonder if old
Aaron learned of our being there, and gave that yawp to show his
anger. I'm almost sorry now we didn't meet the gentleman face to
face."

"Perhaps it's just as well, from what the housekeeper said," replied
Frank, although secretly he was even more disappointed than his chum.

"Then of course you wouldn't dream of going back to look around in
hopes of finding out what that queer noise, almost like a shriek,
meant?" pursued Bluff, in a wheedling tone.

"I guess not this time," decided the other; "it's really none of our
business, you know, and our errand at the Dennison place has ended in
smoke. We'll have to settle on trying at that village we can see miles
away along the lake shore. Perhaps to-morrow you and Jerry can take
the boat and row over there."

"Oh! Barkis is willing, all right, because we just can't keep house
without our fresh eggs and butter, you know."

So it was settled. Bluff, always desiring action, was satisfied with
this half plan made for the future. In his active mind he began
immediately to picture all sorts of exciting things happening on the
contemplated cruise along the lake shore to the distant village in
search of the needed supplies.

Frank happened to come upon what looked like an old path leading
toward the lake, and decided to follow it instead of keeping down the
stream with its zigzag course. Sure enough it took them directly to
Cabin Point, although in many places the bushes had sadly overgrown
the trail, and walking was not easy.

"Still, you must notice," Frank remarked, "that some one has come
along this way every once in a while, because there are footprints,
and the twigs have been bent down."

"Mebbe one of the men employed on the Dennison place comes down for a
swim, or to look after some n