of their whereabouts. He was resolved to do this in company with his
cousin, so that precisely the same thing would have been accomplished
had they remained together.

Howard having hurried a great deal, thought it likely that he was some
distance in advance of his cousin. He stood some minutes listening for
his signals, and then began walking toward the northern end of the hill
that he might meet him as he came around. He observed as he advanced
that they increased in rocky ruggedness, and could see that it was quite
a feat to pass through them.

Going some distance he paused again, and listened intently, but nothing
beside the deep murmur of the woods reached his ear.

"What can it mean?" he finally asked himself, as a vague alarm crept
over him. "We must be much closer together than we were before, and I
haven't heard him whistle for the last half-hour."

He began to doubt whether it was best to proceed further or not. It
might serve only to mislead in case Elwood was searching for him. Still
hearing nothing to indicate the location of his friend, he made the
signal himself--a long, screeching whistle, that rang out in the solemn
stillness with a penetrating clearness that sent the chills over him
from head to foot.

"He must hear that if he is within a mile," was his reflection, as he
leaned his head forward and listened for the first approach of the
answering sound.

Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes passed away, but nothing was heard, and the
poor boy looked around in sore alarm.

"Can it be that Elwood is jesting?" he asked himself. "He would not do
so if he knew what I am suffering."

Howard was now in great distress. He could not decide what to do. If he
advanced he could feel no assurance of meeting his friend, while a
retreat was equally hopeless.

Where was Elwood? Had he wandered off among the hills, tempted by the
wild scenery, and had he lost his way? Was he searching for his cousin?
Or had he been found by Indians?

The last inquiry had been rising in Howard's mind for a half-hour, but
he had resolutely forced it down again, until he could keep it away no
longer. He could find no other reason to account for the silence, and
failure to answer his call. The whistle which he had given must have
spread miles in every direction--so far that Elwood could not have got
beyond its range had the course of both been precisely opposite. No; it
must----

But, hark! A faint, tremulous whistle comes to his ea