“After you’ve gone, Jack, perhaps it would be just as well for Nick and myself to go aboard the boats, and hold the fort there. We’ll make sure to keep the fire burning all the while, so you’ll have a signal on the shore, to tell where we are. Is that right, fellows?” he remarked.
“Best thing you could do; and I was just going to say something like that,” was the way Jack put it.
George had made haste to secure the guns, and each of the three now held a weapon in his hands. They looked very warlike and grim, as the camp-fire shone on the polished steel; and Nick could, after all, be pardoned for showing signs of excitement as they prepared to start off. For Nick was in the main a peaceable lad, who liked not strife under any conditions.
“Perhaps we’d better give one more halloo before we go?” suggested George; for the idea of tramping into that mysterious wilderness, with its swamps and unknown perils, was not to be treated lightly as a picnic, by any means.
So they all raised their voices, and sent out a series of whoops that might have made any Indian warrior envious.
“Listen!” cried Jack, after this had gone on for a full minute.
The last echo had died away, and complete silence followed.
“Never a thing!” exclaimed George.
“Oh! hark! what is that?” cried Nick, eagerly.