ose. Then the water would come in through the open seams in
bucketfuls. So my advice to you is, keep fairly close to the shore all
the time, even when cutting off coves."

"That is, you mean keep within swimming distance," added Jerry, "which
we'll be sure to do, Frank, make your mind easy. A fellow that's fated
to be hanged doesn't want to go and cheat things by being just simply
drowned, you know."

"Hello! there's Will broken loose!" exclaimed Bluff.

"Just hear him whoop it up, will you?" added Jerry. "And here he comes
on the run right now. He's holding a film he's developed, and from
the look on his face I'd say he must have gotten a corker that shot."

Indeed Frank could see that the approaching boy was very much excited;
and it was also evident that what he was carrying so carefully before
him had everything to do with his condition.

"Frank, here's something that will make you sit up and take notice!"
he was calling out. "I started to take the picture of a boss 'coon,
and see what I got, will you?"

Will held the still wet film up so they could have it between them and
the light. All of the boys were accustomed to looking at negatives,
and figuring out the high lights and the shadows in their proper
proportion.

What they saw there plainly and clearly delineated on the film gave
them such a sense of surprise that for several seconds none of them
uttered a single word.

CHAPTER IX

THE FORAGING PARTY

"A 'coon on two legs, as sure as you're born, Will!" ejaculated Bluff
presently.

"It's a man!" cried Jerry. "A man with a white beard in the bargain!"

"Frank, it's going to turn out a pretty fair picture, don't you
think?" demanded the proud artist, thinking first of all of the
success that had crowned his efforts.

"Seems like it, Will," replied the other; "but you've certainly given
us a big surprise when you sprung this on the crowd. He must have run
across the cord you had connected with the trigger of your flashlight
apparatus, and it went off while he was in the act of falling
forward."

"His face doesn't show as well as I'd like," continued Will,
reflectively; "but even as it stands the chances are we'll find a look
of astonishment there when I come to get a print."

"Well," remarked Bluff, "who wouldn't look staggered if, when he was
walking along through the woods, all of a sudden he caught his toe in
a cord that was stretched across the path, and then had what seemed to
be a