“Warm enough when time comes for action,” he told himself. It had always been that way.
The time for action had not yet come. They continued to listen there in the dark; a boy and a girl; the girl kidnaped for ransom which she refused to assist in collecting, the boy carried away and held for he knew not what.
The ticking of their watches sounded loud in this lonely place. Water lapped on the shore. From time to time there came a low bump-bump.
“Rowboat tied to the dock,” Red whispered to the girl. “Wonder if we could get it?”
She made no reply.
From somewhere back in the forest a hoot owl began his silly noise. Red did not know what it was. He asked the girl about it. She explained briefly.
“Hope he keeps it up,” he sighed. “Cover up any little nasty sounds we may stir up.”
“Will there be noises?” The girl seemed to shrink. Then suddenly her form stiffened. “Count me in on—on anything. They are dirty dogs, these kidnapers; deserve the worst!”
“Yes, the very worst!” Red agreed.
He felt loath to leave this place of warmth and momentary peace. There was something altogether agreeable about being so near to this girl he had never seen. “Well, the zero hour approaches.”