"
"Then we'd better have supper," remarked Tom, practically, "and
get ready for it. Perhaps it may not be as bad as Mr. Parker
fears."
"It will be bad enough," declared the gloomy scientist, and he
seemed to find pleasure in his announcement.
The meal was soon over, and Tom busied himself in looking to
the guy ropes of the tent, for he feared lest there might be wind
with the storm. That it was coming was evident, for now low
mutterings of thunder could be heard off toward the west.
Black clouds rapidly obscured the heavens, and the sound of
thunder increased. Fitful flashes of lightning could be seen
forking across the sky in jagged chains of purple light.
"It's going to be a heavy storm," Tom admitted to himself. "I
hope lightning doesn't strike around here."
The storm came on rapidly, but there was a curious quietness in
the air that was more alarming than if a wind had blown. The
campfire burned steadily, and there was a certain oppressiveness
in the atmosphere.
It was now quite dark, save when the fitful lightning flashes
came, and they illuminated the scene brilliantly for a few
seconds. Then, by contrast, it was blacker than ever.
Suddenly, as Tom was gazing up toward the peak of Phantom
Mountain, he saw something that caused him to cry out in alarm.
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