CHAPTER XXI

“TOOT—TOOT—T-O-OOT!”

Hardly had half a minute silently passed when a thrill shot through each figure. No cawing crow could make that peculiar sound; no red-headed woodpecker tapping at the rotten limb of a tree utter a scream of similar import.

Elmer did not, like some boys would have done, immediately whirl triumphantly on his mates, and say impressively: “What did I tell you?” On the contrary he looked very happy as he simply said: “Sound familiar, boys?”

“It’s Perk, all right!” snapped Amos, joyously.

“Yes,” added Wee Willie in a tone of absolute relief, as though a tremendous weight had dropped from his narrow shoulders, “that’s the gay toot of the old tin fox-and-geese horn Perk always makes a habit of carrying around with him.”

“I agree with you, boys,” said Elmer simply, as he once again started to “lead the pack.”

All of them became quite merry from that moment on. It was as though the expectation of having their long quest rewarded by the discovery of the lost chum filled them with supreme happiness.

Naturally the first thing that sprang from this condition of affairs was a revival of reminiscences connected with that self-same tin horn of Perk’s, now destined to have new glory placed to its credit.

“I remember how Perk always carries that old horn along with him everywhere,” said Wee Willie, with a laugh. “Why, last winter when we went in sleighs to country barn-dances, on the way home at midnight, with the moon right overhead, and every fellow trying to get ahead in the mad race back, above the calls of the boys, and the laughing and shrieks of the girls when there was an upset, you could always hear that old horn tooting like mad. Perk just couldn’t be happy without it. They say he takes it to bed with him; and one night frightened his folks half to death by sending out horrible squawks while in his sleep.”

That caused all of them to laugh again, for they were feeling decidedly merry by now. Impending success always begets such a condition with boys, who only see the present, or the immediate future, and do not worry as to what Time may have in store for them.

“There was another story told about Perk and his horn that I remember,” mused Amos. “Sounds almost too rotten silly to be true, and I kind of half suspect some fellow manufactured it. But they say that last Fall, in the thrilling football game between Chester High and that strong eleven coming up from Bellwood when luck allowed our chum, playing with Chester, to kick the deciding goal, while the crowd yelled like mad, his old horn was heard above all the din; and they do say he had it with him all along, concealed somewhere; but everybody laughs when they tell you that yarn, so I reckon it’s all made up out of whole cloth.”

“Give him another whoop, W. W.!” said Elmer.

Gladly did the tall chum avail himself of the privilege, and this time they felt a full confidence while listening for a response.

“There, that’s the boy, all right!” cried Wee Willie. “We ought to congratulate each other on the success of our search, because the game is winding up.”

“So is Perk, it seems,” chuckled Amos, in amusement, as other weird blasts came to their ears, all from the same quarter.

Elmer changed his course just a trifle. It was like a mariner after a storm adjusting his compass once more, now sure of his points, after being able to take a reckoning during a burst of sunlight.

How different everything looked under the new order of things! No one longer thought the woods gloomy, or filled with unknown perils; the cheery sunlight breaking through the opening overhead seemed to cast a halo over the aisles of the tall timber, making them look like fairyland itself, such is the effect of impending victory on the human mind.

“I wonder if the poor fellow is nearly half starved at that?” Wee Willie was saying, as he trudged ahead; for no one could think of a single thing that did not have some bearing on Perk.

Amos was seen to tap his pocket suggestively, as though wishing to make assurance doubly certain before speaking.

“Well, I’ve kept his square of that fine chocolate carefully, and it’ll be pretty refreshing, I reckon. You all know that Perk is wildly fond of the stuff, and eats it by the yard, week in and week out. They say that’s one reason of his being so fat.”

“Aw! they’re only joshing you, Amos,” chortled Wee Willie. “He comes by that just naturally, you see. When Nature shapes a boy to be as round as a rain barrel it doesn’t matter one whit what he eats, or how much, he’s bound to keep on filling out. Just the same way if a fellow’s going to be thin and scrawny, like me, f’r instance, you c’n stuff and stuff him with every sort of fattening food; and, say, he keeps on growing skinnier all the while. I’ve been through that thing, and there’s absolutely nothing in it. I eat because I like my food, and not just to try to pick up a pound or two of flesh.”

Elmer laughed as if amused. He knew Wee Willie’s principles of old, and doubtless also fancied there was considerable of good hard common-sense in what he had just said.

By now the blare of the fish horn was quite loud, as from time to time it continued to well forth. Wee Willie occasionally sent out an answering yell, just to reassure Perk.

“It’s going to make our work lighter if he keeps on tooting away,” was his explanation for this periodical outburst. “If all of a sudden he let up, why, we might have some trouble in actually locating Perk; because, you see the woods are growing mighty dense around here. Such monster trees, too; I don’t believe I’ve seen their equal anywhere about Chester. Why, you’d nearly think you were out among those monster redwoods of California.”

“There’s one that’s hollow,” observed Amos, pointing; “and what a fine old refuge the big cavity would be in a snow-squall, for it faces the south. A hunter caught in a big fall of snow could even have a little fire going to keep warm by, if he took care not to burn his house down in the bargain.”

“There’s one that must have been struck by a bolt last night,” suddenly observed Elmer, with a touch of awe in his voice; for the wreck of the great forest monarch was supreme, branches and splintered wood covering all the immediate neighborhood.

“I’m glad Perk didn’t forget what he’s been told about such things, and seek shelter in a hollow tree while a thunder storm was raging,” Amos continued. “A poor chap wouldn’t know what hurt him, if he had been in that tree, or even hiding under its sheltering branches, when the bolt fell.”

Elmer turned a trifle more to the left. That last toot gave him his clue, and he felt certain now that even though they should catch no further signals from Perk’s fish-horn he could pilot the expedition straight to the spot where the missing chum was awaiting their coming.

“Why, he’s right close by,” said Wee Willie.

“Given ten minutes more, and well be shaking his hand,” affirmed the guide, positively.

“Good old Perk!” Wee Willie could be heard saying over and over, while his freckled face fairly beamed with satisfaction.

It spoke well for the sunny disposition of the rotund comrade when his mates displayed such enthusiasm over the prospect of once again coming in personal contact with him. And it must be remembered that the separation was only a matter of less than twenty hours; whereas from the wild ebullition of their feelings one might fancy Perk had been gone for ages and ages.

Perhaps in times past the queer sound of that battered horn which was Perk’s especial delight may have jarred on the nerves of Wee Willie, for it certainly produced what might be called a discordant series of notes; but just now he reckoned them the sweetest chords he had ever known; which only goes to prove the truth of that old saying to the effect that “circumstances alter cases.”

Suddenly there was a startling movement, and some object broke from the heavy brush to one side of them, dashing away with great speed; while the trio of boys stood there as if rooted to the spot.