“Huh, you’ll get no chance to use that pistol on us,” growled Nick Jasniff.
All in the tree paid but scant attention to what was said below. They were listening intently. An instant later came two more honks from the distant automobile.
“Give them two more shots, Roger!” cried our hero. “I’m going up to the top of the tree to look around,” and he began to climb with vigor.
From the top of the tree Dave could get a fairly good view of the surroundings. He soon made out the little side-road and the point where it ran into the main highway. Then he spotted an automobile containing four or five men. Another auto was on the main highway but a short distance away.
Standing on the topmost branch of the tree and holding fast with one hand, Dave waved his cap with the other and then fired two more shots from his pistol. Those in the automobile were evidently on the alert, and a second later our hero saw that his signal had been seen. One man jumped up in the front automobile and waved his arms, and then the automobile moved forward rapidly up the little side-road.
“They have seen us, and they are coming in this direction!” cried Dave, as he lowered himself to where the others rested in the tree. “I’ll give them another signal, so that they won’t go astray,” and a few seconds later two more shots rent the air.
“Hi, you! what are you doing up there, anyway?” came uneasily from Nick Jasniff.
“An automobile is coming!” came in a yell from a distance. “An automobile with a number of men in it!”
“We’ve been betrayed!” added another of the gypsies. “We must run for it or we’ll be captured!”
“The automobile! Why can not we ride away in the automobile?” asked Mother Domoza, in sudden panic.