“Ay, and didn’t ye hear thet, now?” he asked.
“No; what was it?” queried Sanford.
“It was a sound rhesembling the thuang av a horn—there she am again!”
This time all heard it, and, true enough, it was the far-off blast of a horn. Flick O’Flynn and Ebony exchanged inquiring and ominous glances.
“A hunter, I suppose,” said young Rodman.
“Not a bit av it! It’s the gathering call av robbers, in yonder hills,” said O’Flynn, pointing away westward over the Black Hills.
“But what means that?” asked Willis Armond, pointing up toward the dark sky.
All eyes gazed upon the object in question with wonder and surprise. It was a bright, glowing speck not unlike a blazing star; but it was moving, drifting slowly through the heavens—now east—now west—now sinking—now rising—now circling around and around—again standing still against the black canopy of heaven.
“That is surely not a star,” said Walter Lyman.
“No; but it’s a mystery to me,” said Colonel Sanford.