"And it was a gun in the bargain, with a big load. What d'ye s'pose they could find to shoot at in the dark?" demanded Step Hen.
"Oh! lots of things," replied Allan. "If a bobcat jumped in on us right now, we'd think of using our gun, wouldn't we? But it might be that shot was some sort of signal, after all."
"There wasn't any answer, that's sure," interposed Bumpus.
"But seems to me I can hear somebody talking pretty loud that way," observed the listening Thad.
"I did too," declared Smithy; "but it's died away now, as though the excitement might be over. I wonder what it was, fellows?"
"Chances are, we'll never know," returned Giraffe, settling back once more to continue eating, for he was not yet through.
"Lots of queer things are happening all around us, that we'll never know," remarked Step Hen, seriously.
Thad looked at him curiously. This was a strange remark to come from the happy-go-lucky Step Hen. It looked as though his one little experience of that morning had indeed done wonders toward causing the careless lad to turn over a new leaf. He was beginning to think, and see what a great big world this is after all. His horizon had been moved back hugely since he first yawned, and stretched, that same morning.
And the queer part of it was that no one thought to joke the boy about his altered disposition. They seemed to understand that it was no joking matter. Doubtless Step Hen's reformation would not be accomplished in a day, nor a week, nor even a month; but he had taken the first step, and from now on must begin to arouse himself to making a good use of the faculties with which a kindly Nature had endowed him.
"Listen!" exclaimed Thad, a little while later, just as they were about done supper.