"Smell's already pushed me a yard," responded Jack.
They climbed another hill, walking slowly and sleepily, and, as time wore on, wandered through narrow lanes where the trees met overhead, trod the wooden sidewalks of broad, open streets, or stopped on some eminence to gaze off into the expanse of darkness.
"Midnight!"
Dave spoke the word as he stood, watch in hand, beneath a lamp which flickered in the breeze and sent forth through a broken pane a strong odor of coal-oil.
"If those chaps would only come!" sighed Sam.
Another half hour passed, then:
"Hello—there's the signal!" cried Dick Travers, excitedly.
Tired, sleepy feelings were as instantly swept away as though they had been treated to a cold shower-bath. All came to a halt, listening eagerly.
Another moment, and a peculiar call suggesting the hoot of an owl was borne to their ears.
"Hooray," burst out Tim, "it's Bob and Tommy sure!"