“We’d bring them down quick enough, were it not that they are armed,” answered Tony Bopeppo.
There was a warm discussion, the old gypsy woman urging the men to go up into the tree and bring down our hero and the others.
In the midst of the discussion Dave heard a sound which thrilled him to the heart. Far off from the direction of the main road between Frytown and Cullomburg came the honk of an automobile horn twice repeated.
“Roger, did you hear that?” he cried in a low voice. “Listen!” and a moment later the double honk was repeated.
“Why, it sounds like the horn on your auto!” exclaimed the senator’s son.
“That’s just what it is! And didn’t you hear—it sounded out twice in rapid succession? Listen! there it goes again! That’s the signal from my Uncle Dunston!”
“Oh, Dave! can it be Uncle Dunston?” exclaimed his sister.
“That’s just who it is!” he answered, great relief showing itself in his voice. “I’m going to answer back!” and pulling out his pistol, Dave fired two shots in the air in rapid succession.
“Hi! hi! what are you doing?” roared a voice from below. “Don’t you dare to shoot at us!”
“We are not shooting at you,” answered Dave quick-wittedly. “I am trying my pistol to see that it is in good order.”