“Well, you had some luck,” observed Jack.
“’Stooeasy—killin’ them,” remarked Budge. “They are almost tame.”
“Well, they’ll make good eating,” observed Nat. “I hope the others did better than we did.”
And when they were back at camp, which Long Gun, Sam and Bony reached shortly after they did, they found that Sam had killed a fine deer, and Bony a small sheep, which gave them plenty of fresh meat.
It was very dark that night, for it was cloudy, and the moon and stars were obscured. Outside the circle of light from the camp fire, there was blackness so deep that it seemed like a wall of ebony.
“I’d hate to be lost out there,” observed Bony, motioning toward the dark valley as he prepared to turn in with the others.
“Yes, it wouldn’t be very pleasant,” admitted Jack. “I wish we could——”
He stopped suddenly. From the black void above them there came a peculiar sound. It was like the blowing of a wind, that sighs and moans in the pine trees, but there was no wind blowing. Then it was like the rush of some mighty wings, while there sounded a deep throbbing, and all in camp were conscious of some large object passing close over their heads, but they could see nothing.
The boys stared at each other in wonder, not unmixed with fright.