It was not long before the distant boom of the thunder grew perceptibly louder, proving that the storm was advancing their way, and could not be much longer delayed in transit.
“We might holler a few times,” suggested Wee Willie, “and if by great good luck Perk is close enough to hear us, so much the better.”
“Go to it, then,” advised Elmer, knowing Wee Willie had a voice that would be apt to carry much further than his own, or that of Amos.
Without waiting for a second invitation the elongated chum threw back his head and sent forth one of his shrillest yells.
“Perk! oh! Perk! Hey! there!” he bawled.
“Perk! hey there!” came a startling mocking answer that caused Wee Willie to jump, and stare hard at Elmer.
“W-why, did y-you hear that?” he gasped.
“Only an echo,” the other told him. “It repeated your words after you. As a rule it requires some sort of elevation to create an echo; but they’ve been known to spring right up from what looked like level ground. A lot depends on the condition of the atmosphere. I’ve known of a mighty fine echo that would send back a double line at you like fun, and yet it came out of a marsh. I admit echoes have always been something of a puzzle to me; but that was one just now, all right.”
“A queer thing,” Amos hurried to say, “and at first I really thought it was Perk hiding close by, and mocking Wee Willie here. Can you still follow his tracks, Elmer?”
“It’s as easy as falling off a log,” replied the one addressed, “but for a fact I’m more than surprised at Perk keeping it up so long. He must have been provoked with himself over getting lost, and determined to make the punishment fit the crime. Why, we’ve come more than three miles, up to now.”