"That's good," said Albert, nodding.
They watched for a long time, hearing only the dry rustling of the light wind among the bare boughs, but at last Dick softly pushed his shoulder against Albert's. Albert nodded again, with comprehension. A small dark animal came into the open space around the Annex. The boys had difficulty in tracing his outlines at first, but once they had them fixed, they followed his movements with ease. He advanced furtively, stopping at intervals evidently both to listen and look. Some other of his kind, or not of his kind, might be on the same quest and it was his business to know.
"Is it a fox?" whispered Albert.
"I think not," replied Dick in the same tone. "It must be a wolverine. He scents the good things in the Annex and he wants, oh, how he wants, the taste of them!"
The little dark animal, after delicate maneuvering, came close up to the tree, and they saw him push his nose against the cold bark.
"I know just how he feels," whispered Albert with some sympathy.
"It's all there, but he must know the quest is hopeless."
The little animal went all around the tree nosing the cold bark, and then stopped again at the side of the door.
"No use, sir," whispered Albert. "That door won't open just because you're hungry."
The little animal suddenly cocked up his head and darted swiftly away into the shadows. But another and somewhat larger beast came creeping into the open, advancing with caution toward the Annex.
"Aha!" whispered Dick. "Little fellow displaced by a bigger one. That must be a wild cat."