“He’s a comin’ this way,” Tom whispered, as he stopped in his tracks. “Get behin’ thot big tree an’ we’ll wait fer him.”
“It doesn’t seem possible that a sound like that could come from human lips,” Bob whispered, as they waited. “I don’t wonder that the man thought it was the devil. There he goes again,” as for the third time the weird notes ran through the stillness of the night.
“And he’s getting pretty close too,” Jack whispered, as he tried to pierce the darkness with his eyes.
Probably five minutes elapsed before the cry came again, and they were beginning to fear that the man had given it up for the night. But suddenly it began again and now it was so near that they were certain only a few feet separated them. Bob was about to whisper to Tom, who was crouching directly in front of him, when the Irishman, without warning, let out a yell that so far as volume was concerned, at least rivaled the other’s cry. At the instant he sprang forward and before the boys could recover from their surprise he was swallowed up by the darkness.
CHAPTER V.
TOM LAYS THE GHOST.
Tom Bean’s eyes, more used to the darkness than those of the boys, had seen a dim form about ten feet away and his impetuosity had brought forth the yell and then he knew that not a moment was to be lost. The “devil” breaking off his cry like the snapping of a twig, gave one look and fled. But his nemesis was close on his heels and as the toe of one of Tom’s snow-shoes came down on his heel, he pitched forward sprawling in the deep snow. Instantly Tom was upon him, and when the boys caught up to them all that they could see was a writhing mass of arms, snow-shoes and legs as the two rolled over and over in the snow. It was so dark they were unable to tell who was who and they could do nothing except stand by and watch, but they had little doubt as to the outcome. But as the minutes passed and so far as they were able to see neither had gained any advantage over the other, they began to fear that at last Tom had met his match.
“We’ll have to get into it,” Bob declared, as he stepped close to the struggling mass.
But at that moment the thrashing about ceased and one of the men lifted his head. But which one was it who was on top? Bob held his breath as he leaned forward.
“Now kape quiet or I’ll be after chocking the life out of yez,” and both boys gave a glad shout as they recognized Tom’s voice:
“Sure an’ he’s a tough nut all right,” the latter declared, as he, panting for breath, got to his feet.