They made two smokes, however, and waited to watch the thin spirals rise above the trees, side by side, until they dispersed in the blue ether far overhead. But no sound came in answer to the signals.
"Maybe no one remembered the smoke idea," ventured Judith.
"And they'd have to be in the open, or climb a tree, to see it," asserted Joan.
"Maybe they made signals, too, and are waiting for us to answer them. Did you bring a rifle, Dick?" said Julie.
"No, none of us did. But I can climb one of these trees and see if the others made any smokes."
"Choose that towering pine,—you ought to be able to see everything from that high top," advised Julie.
So Dick climbed the tall pine, but after he had reached the top he saw nothing that might lead him to find the other campers. He shouted and whistled as shrilly as he could from the lofty perch, but no answering sound came to his ears, so he slid down again.
"See anything at all, Dick?" asked Julie, the moment he came down.
"A great sea of waving green tops, one wave back of the other, without a break," said he.
"Well, what now? Shall we keep on hunting for the way back from this clearing, or just sit and let them find us?" asked Joan, despondently.