登陆注册
5142800000010

第10章

His surmise about Tom began to have a kind of fascination for him.Would he remain absolutely still? He would certainly shift an arm or a leg.Henry's interest in the question kept him awake.He turned silently on the other side, but, no matter how intently he studied the sitting figure of his comrade, he could not see it stir.He did not know how long he had been awake, trying thus to decide a question that should be of no importance at such a time.Although unable to sleep, be fell into a dreamy condition, and continued vaguely to watch the rigid and silent sentinel.

He suddenly saw Tom stir, and he came from his state of languor.

The exciting question was solved at last.The man would not sit all night absolutely immovable.There could be no doubt of the fact that he had raised an arm, and that his figure had straightened.Then he stood up, full height, remained motionless for perhaps ten seconds, and then suddenly glided away among the bushes.

Henry knew what this meant.Tom had heard something moving in the thickets, and, like a good sentinel, be had gone to investigate.A rabbit, doubtless, or perhaps a sneaking raccoon.

Henry rose to a sitting position, and drew his own rifle across his knees.He would watch while Tom was gone, and then lie would sink quietly back, not letting his comrade know that lie had taken his place.

The faintest of winds began to stir among the thickets.Light clouds drifted before the moon.Henry, sitting with his rifle across his knees, and Shif'less Sol, asleep in the shadows, were invisible, but Henry saw beyond the circle of darkness that enveloped them into the grayish light that fell over the bushes.

He marked the particular point at which he expected Tom Ross to appear, a slight opening that held out invitation for the passage of a man.

He waited a long time, ten minutes, twenty, a half hour, and the sentinel did not return.Henry came abruptly out of his dreamy state.He felt with all the terrible thrill of certainty that what happened to Long Jim and Paul had happened also to Silent Tom Ross.He stood erect, a tense, tall figure, alarmed, but not afraid.His eyes searched the thickets, but saw nothing.The slight movement of the bushes was made by the wind, and no other sound reached his ears.

But he might be mistaken after all! The most convincing premonitions were sometimes wrong! He would give Tom ten minutes more, and he sank down in a crouching position, where he would offer the least target for the eye.

The appointed time passed, and neither sight nor sound revealed any sign of Tom Ross.Then Henry awakened Shif'less Sol, and whispered to him all that he had seen.

"Whatever took Jim and Paul has took him," whispered the shiftless one at once.

Henry nodded.

"An' we're bound to look for him right now," continued Shif'less Sol.

" Yes," said Henry, " but we must stay together.If we follow the others, Sol, we must follow 'em together."It would be safer," said Sol." I've an idee that we won't find Tom, an' I want to tell you, Henry, this thing is gittin' on my nerves."It was certainly on Henry's, also, but without reply he led the way into the bushes, and they sought long and well for Silent Tom, keeping at the same time a thorough watch for any danger that might molest themselves.But no danger showed, nor did they find Tom or his trail.He, too, had vanished into nothingness, and Henry and Sol, despite their mental strength, felt cold shivers.They came back at last, far toward morning, to the bank of the creek.It was here as elsewhere a narrow but deep stream flowing between banks so densely wooded that they were almost like walls.

"It will be daylight soon," said Shif'less Sol, "an' I think we'd better lay low in thicket an' watch.It looks ez ef we couldn't find anything, so we'd better wait an' see what will find us.""It looks like the best plan to me," said Henry, " but I think we might first hunt a while on the other side of the creek.We haven't looked any over there.""That's so," replied Shif'less Sol, "but the water is at least seven feet deep here, an' we don't want to make any splash swimmin'.Suppose you go up stream, an' I go down, an' the one that finds a ford first kin give a signal.One uv us ought to strike shallow water in three or four hundred yards."Henry followed the current toward the south, while Sol moved up the stream.The boy went cautiously through the dense foliage, and the creek soon grew wider and shallower.At a distance of about three hundred yards lie came to a point where it could be waded easily.Then he uttered the low cry that was their signal, and went back to meet Shif'less Sol.He reached the exact point at which they had parted, and waited.The shiftless one did not come.The last of his comrades was gone, and he was alone in the forest.

同类推荐
  • 东京梦华录

    东京梦华录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法句经

    法句经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 围炉诗话

    围炉诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 火龙神器阵法

    火龙神器阵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 李卫公问对

    李卫公问对

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 网球王子之冰帝崛起

    网球王子之冰帝崛起

    赢球,不能靠一次次的付出代价,在实力面前,一切小动作都是徒劳。这是一群逗比在一个大逗比的带领下流汗流血不流泪的梦想追逐之旅。
  • 王郭两先生崇论

    王郭两先生崇论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谁拨动了你的心弦:高中生心理困惑答疑

    谁拨动了你的心弦:高中生心理困惑答疑

    养花要养根,育人要育心,如果教师不能帮助学生解决好心理问题,那么学校就不可能办成让人民满意的教育。心理问题是德育教育必须解决好的根本问题,只有解决好学生的心理问题,才可能把学生培养成有善德的人,才可能使学校真正落实德育为先的办学目标。
  • 丧尸初现:Z因子病毒系列之一

    丧尸初现:Z因子病毒系列之一

    科学家无意触发了Z因子病毒,不料该病毒引起了全人类的恐慌……科幻惊险小说《Z因子病毒》三部曲,每一部都把你带入一个惊心动魄、引人入胜的人类与丧尸的对抗之中。
  • 佛说护净经

    佛说护净经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 现代名言妙语全集:情感名言

    现代名言妙语全集:情感名言

    这些名言警句句句经典,字字珠玑,精辟睿智,闪耀着智慧的光芒和精神的力量,具有很强的鼓舞性、哲理性和启迪性。具有成功心理暗示和潜在力量开发的功能,不仅可以成为我们的座右铭,还能增进自律的能力。
  • 江山策:凰权天下

    江山策:凰权天下

    前世,她是太子的一颗棋子,他承诺,我若为皇,你便为后。她为他谋划江山,不想却是亲手为自己铺就一条黄泉路,弑君谋逆之罪,将她处死。重生一世,她步步为营,只有皇权在手,才能够呼风唤雨,江山在手,试问谁还敢跟她斗?
  • 漫威之不死者之王

    漫威之不死者之王

    新书《漫威里的lol系统》已经发布哟,会把这本的遗憾都弥补!没有穿越,没有金手指。一个梦想开火锅店的少年意外觉醒了不死异能,在先后遇到死侍和钢铁侠后,少年终于明白了火锅店只是浮云。告别普通生活的少年会与漫威世界里其他超级英雄擦出什么样的火花?且看少年在经历过种种事件之后,如何一步一步的成为一名合格的超级英雄。时间线、剧情以本文为主。
  • 3分钟读懂一个心理学常识

    3分钟读懂一个心理学常识

    心理学是研究心理现象和心理规律的一门科学,在普通读者心目中往往是晦涩难懂的,为了使大家能把心理学的常识和原理轻松应用到日常生活中去,我们特意编写了本书。本书共分9个部分,分别从情绪心理学、识人心理学、社交心理学、职场心理学、用人管人心理学、成功心理学、婚恋心理学、快乐心理学,以及心理阑惑等方面,一一为你指点迷津,帮你出谋划策。
  • 正念的革命

    正念的革命

    本书在“美国有史以来十大心灵类畅销书”当中排名第9!2014年2月美国《时代》杂志封面报道;2009年发源于硅谷的核心课程,Twitter、Instagram和Facebook公司的总裁发起,2014年超过2000人参与;谷歌公司内部每年举办4次正念课程,每次长达7周,帮助几千名谷歌员工拓展思维空间,激发创意和灵感;在财富500强高管、美国国防部高级官员中广为流传,摩根大通甚至建议客户通过正年来进行投资活动。正念的本质是让你回归感知。它好比一条回家的路,让你回到与生俱来的强大意识之中。我们每个人天生就拥有这样的感知能力,我们每个人都能集中精力活在当下。