Archer did not know what to make of it, but he crept out and looked over to the adjacent field where Tom pointed. A kindly, patient cow, one of those they had seen before, was grazing quietly, partaking of a late lunch in the moonlight.
"Here's her footprint," said Tom simply. "She gave us a good scare, anyway."
"Well—I'll—be——" Archer began.
"Sh-h!" warned Tom. "We don't know yet why Frenchy's sister don't come. But there weren't any soldiers here—that's one sure thing. We had a lot of worry for nothin'. Come on."
CHAPTER VIII
THE HOME FIRE NO LONGER BURNS
"That's the first time I was everr scarred by a cow," said Archer, his buoyant spirit fully revived, "but when I hearrd those footsteps overr my head, go-od night! It's good you happened to think about looking for footprints, hey?"
"I didn't happen to," said Tom. "I always do. Same as you never forget to get a souvenir," he added soberly.