Ned ground the coffee, while Bob went in search of water, using the lantern to aid him in the somewhat dim forest, though the moon helped some. He found a spring close at hand, and soon a fragrant beverage was steaming under the trees. Then some bacon was placed in the frying pan, and the hard tack was taken from the tin and other things prepared.
“Fall to!” commanded Ned, who was acting as cook, and fall to they all did, with a will.
“Do you often camp out and eat in the woods like this?” asked Tommy. “I think it’s jolly fun,” and the lad, who was about twelve years old, laughed for the first time since his rescue. He, too, was eating with an appetite that showed he needed the food.
Jerry briefly related some of their travel adventures, at which Tommy opened his eyes to their widest extent.
“Cracky! But you have had stunning times!” he exclaimed.
The meal having been finished, they began to think of getting some sleep. Blankets were brought out, and rolling themselves up in them the boys and the professor were soon in the land of nod.
It was nearly dawn when Jerry was suddenly awakened by the far off baying of a dog. At first he could not imagine what the sound was, and sat up to listen more intently. Then a long, mournful howl was borne to him on the wind.
“That’s strange,” he muttered. “There are very few dogs about here. I wonder what it is.”
At the same time Tommy Bell roused up, and he, too, heard the sound.
“It’s the gang after us!” he exclaimed. “They have a lot of hounds on the ranch! Hurry up! Let’s get out of this!”