al wail line "hoooo-aw" and
that in the woods means, "Who are you?"

Promptly the reply came:

"Wa wah wa wah Wa wah wa hoooo-aw."

But this was the wrong reply. It should have been only the last half.
The imitation was perfect, except, perhaps, on the last note, which
was a trifle too human. But the signal was well done; it was an expert
calling, either an Indian or some thoroughly seasoned scout; yet Quonab
was not deceived into thinking it an owl. He touched his cheek and
his coat, which, in the scout sign language, means "red coat," i. e.,
Britisher.

Rolf and his partner got silently out of sight, each with his rlile
cocked and ready to make a hole in any red uniform or badge that might
show itself. Then commenced a very peculiar duel, for evidently the
enemy was as clever as themselves and equally anxious to draw them out
of cover.

Wa-wah-wa hooo-aw called the stranger, giving the right answer in the
wrong place. He was barely a hundred yards off, and, as the two strained
their senses to locate him, they heard a faint click that told of his
approach.

Rolf turned his head and behind a tree uttered again the Wa-wah-a--hoo
which muffled by his position would convince the foe that he was
retreating. The answer came promptly and much nearer:

Wa--wah--wa--hoooo-aw.

Good! the medicine was working. So Rolf softened his voice still more,
while Quonab got ready to shoot.

The Wa--wa--hooo-aw that came in answer this time was startlingly clear
and loud and nearly perfect in intonation, but again betrayed by the
human timbre of the aw. A minute or two more and they would reach a
climax.

After another wait, Rolf muffled his voice and gave the single hooo-aw,
and a great broad-winged owl came swooping through the forest, alighted
on a tree overhead, peered about, then thrilled them with his weird:

Wa--hoo--wa--boo

Wa--hoo--wa--hooooooooo-aw, the last note with the singular human
quality that had so completely set them astray.

Chapter 77. Why Plattsburg Was Raided

The owl's hull reputation for wisdom is built up on lookin'
wise and keepin' mum.--Sayings of St Sylvanne

THE owl incident was one of the comedies of their life, now they had
business on hand. The scraps of news brought by Quonab pieced out with
those secured by Rolf, spelt clearly this: that Colonel Murray with
about a thousand men was planning a raid on Plattsburg.

Their duty was to notify General Hampton without delay.