“Which means we’ve got about five more hours before the peep of dawn,” Elmer was saying. “Now let’s make ourselves comfortable again, and every one try to keep awake; but there must be no talking, remember.”
Elmer knew what the result would be, but he expected to keep on the alert himself every minute of the time, and saw no reason for the others doing likewise. And the result justified his confidence, for first Amos fell off, and later on even Wee Willie’s nods as before became more frequent, until finally his head lay on his breast.
Carefully Elmer managed to ease the strained position of the tall chum, so that in the end Wee Willie was stretched out alongside Amos, and both of them sleeping just as soundly as though snugly tucked in their own beds at home.
It was a long, long night to Elmer.
Only his masterful will kept him awake through those dragging hours. He heard the screech-owl whimpering to his mate; listened to the barking of a red fox somewhere in the brush near by; knew when a ’coon scampered out of the way as the fire, replenished with another log while all of the boys were awake, snapped sharply, and threw out a sudden red glow.
Yes, it must have been one of the longest nights in all Elmer’s experience, but when the first faint streaks of daylight began to appear through the trees lying toward the east he felt satisfied that he had not broken his word given to himself that he must not once waver in his self-appointed task.
The insane man had not returned, but then there had been no certainty concerning this. No one could tell what a mind diseased might conjure up; and while they had treated Felix Gould in a friendly spirit he might not be able to appreciate this, and even look upon them with suspicion, as intending to hand him over to those who searched the tall timber for an escaped lunatic.
And so when daylight came on Elmer, poor tired fellow, felt glad.
CHAPTER XX
ONCE MORE ON THE TRAIL
At least the signs all pointed to its being a fine day. Elmer was glad of that, for they expected to have their hands full finding Perk; and a continuation of the storm of the preceding night must have broken up their plans more or less, besides proving uncomfortable.