"I never thought of that!" Ralph eagerly responded. "That's a
keen idea! Much obliged to you for it! You can bet I'll try."

Talking thus, the four beguiled much of the long tramp back to
the farmhouse; Ralph almost forgot the pain of his injuries.
A bond of friendship seemed already to have drawn him and Sherwood
together: a bond which was destined to be strengthened not only
by the adventure of this night but also by many future adventures
which they would share.

"There's a light yonder!" exclaimed Jack, suddenly, waving his
lantern as he spoke. "Somebody has seen us 'way off, and is coming
to meet us."

He guessed right. As they approached the farmhouse they discerned
in the darkness a figure coming toward them with a stable lantern.
The figure swung this light to and fro, up and down, in wig-wag
signaling, and Tom replied by whistling shrilly two short blasts,
which meant "All right, we're coming." Then the figure hailed
them with a whoop of joy, and ran forward.

It was Arthur Cameron. Leaving Mrs. Kenyon in Doctor Kane's charge,
he had slipped out of the house by the kitchen door so that his
impatience and anxiety might not be observed, and, obtaining the
stable lantern, he had gone forth to see if the search party was
not yet returning.

When Ralph entered the house, leaning on Sherwood and Arthur, his
mother burst into tears of thankfulness for his return and of
pride in what he had achieved. She was distressed on learning