Then Bill braced himself and seemed to grow stronger, all in a minute.
"Caw," he yelled. "Caw, caw!"
The sound went floating down into the gathering darkness, until it reached two men and a boy, toiling up the mountainside.
"That's Bill!" cried Benny.
"Thank God!" said Mr. Wilson. "He's alive. We know that."
Twenty minutes later he had Bill in his arms and Benny was building the biggest fire that had been seen on Greylock since I could remember. We were watching for it down below and knew that everything was all right.
"Now," said Pa, "let's have some supper. I don't know about William, but I feel hungry."
It was late at night when they finally brought Bill home. Mrs. Wilson nearly had a fit again when she saw them carrying him into the yard on a stretcher.
"Speak to her, son," said his father, "so that she will know you are alive."
Bill propped himself up on one elbow and gave such a yell that it scared the neighbors, and ended with a caw. Then she knew that it was all right and felt better.