Standing just within the entrance he emitted the long-drawn howl of the wolf, piercing and carrying singularly far. They waited a moment or two in breathless silence, and then on the edge of the shrieking wind came a similar reply, fierce, long and snarling. Henry gave the howl again and as before came the answer in like fashion. It was the wilderness signal, made complete.
"It's Sol," Henry said. "I know now that he's there, and he knows that I'm here. The first part of our task is done."
A yell of rage and disappointment came from the valley below. It was so fierce that the air seemed to pulse with angry waves.
"What's the matter down there, I wonder," exclaimed Paul.
"Before I could get in here," replied Henry, "I had to choke the breath out of one of their best warriors. I fancy he has just come to and has told the others."
Then the war cry died away and there was nothing but the shriek of the wind that drove drops of rain into the opening.
"How long have you been besieged here?" asked Henry.
"Today and tonight," replied Paul. "Either they struck our trail or some one of them may have been in this grotto once. At any rate a band started up here and we were compelled to fire into 'em. That's our history, since. What have you seen?"
"The main army has gone south with the cannon, but Red Eagle, Braxton Wyatt and Blackstaffe are here. If they can't rush us they'll at least hold us three or four days, or try mighty hard. But I want a drink of water I hear trickling over there. I'm thirsty from all the crawling and creeping I've done."
He knelt and drank deep at the pure little stream.