"That's real," he said. "I'd wager anything that if we followed that sound we'd find a big owl, sitting on a limb, and calling to some friend of his."
"You ain't mistook," said Tom Ross sententiously.
As they walked very fast, it did not take them long to cover the four or five miles that they wished, and they found a comfortable, well-hidden place in a ravine. The darkness also had increased considerably, which was good for their purpose, as they were hunting for nobody, and wished nobody to find them.
All save Tom Ross lay down among the bushes and quickly fell asleep. Tom found an easy seat and watched.
CHAPTER X
THE GREAT BORDERER
Tom Ross watched until about an hour after midnight, when he awoke Henry, who would keep guard until day.
"Heard anything?" asked the boy.
"Nuthin'" replied Tom with his usual brevity, as he stretched his long figure upon the ground. In a minute he was fast asleep. Henry looked down at the recumbent forms of his comrades, darker shadows in the dusk, and once more he felt that thrill of deep and intense satisfaction. The five were reunited, and, having triumphed so often, he believed them to be equal to any new issue.