Miss Howard did not allow her eyes to close. She watched and listened, alert to catch any unusual sound, while the young people around her slept fitfully.
Late in the night she heard voices, then a wild shout and the crunching of hoofs in the snow. The mules did not stir, but the horses became restless and one of them whinnied. The sleepers awoke suddenly and sat up. Miss Howard looked at her watch, it was nearly twelve o’clock. She smiled at them sleepily.
“Don’t you want to sing something?” she inquired. “Perhaps the night won’t seem so long if we do.”
Talitha rubbed her eyes. It was a strange request at that late hour and in such a place, but she cheerfully joined in with the others when her teacher began the old choral so familiar to Bentville pupils:
“A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing—”
The strong, young voices filled the cave with strange echoes which penetrated into the night. The singers caught the spirit of the song as they went on and on. All their fears for the morrow had vanished. The dumb creatures looked around at them in astonishment.
Miss Howard was keeping her eyes on the entrance as she sang. Over the animals’ heads she could see a light coming along the passageway. It grew brighter and brighter as it neared the cave opening. Her charges did not see it; Martin was singing with closed eyes, and the two girls were watching Abner pile fresh sticks upon the fire. She knew how superstitious were the mountain people, especially the lawless ones who were fugitives from justice because of their propensity for appropriating their neighbours’ horses and cattle. Was it possible that after all her little party was to be molested?
As the last note died away, a man’s head, covered with a coonskin cap, was thrust inside and then as suddenly withdrawn. “Come on, Joe, Gid, here they are safe and sound!” shouted a bluff voice, and the Bradshaws—father and sons—hurried into the cave.
With delighted shouts the wayfarers gathered around them.
“We’ve been beatin’ ’bout these here mountings sence nine o’clock,” said the older man, “and we war jest ready ter give up when we heard the singin’. Hit war powerful deceivin’ at first—a-comin’ up out’n the ground that-away, till I ’lowed you war nowhar but in that old still cave.”