Mahaffy trod in the boy's steps, and the judge,
puffing like an overworked engine, came close upon his heels. In
this way they continued to advance for an hour or more, then the
boy paused.
"Go on!" commanded Mahaffy.
"Do you 'low the judge can stand it?" asked Hannibal .
"Bless you, lad!" panted the judge feelingly.
"He's got to stand it--either that, or what do you suppose will
happen to us if they start their dogs?" said Mahaffy.
"Solomon's right--you are sure we are not going in a circle,
Hannibal?"
"Yes, I'm sure," said Hannibal. "Do you see that star? My Uncle
Bob learned me how I was to watch that star when I wanted to keep
going straight."
There was another long interval of silence. Bit by bit the sky
became overcast. Vague, fleecy rifts of clouds appeared in the
heavens. A wind sprang up, murmuring about them, there came a
distant roll of thunder, while along the horizon the lightning
rushed in broken, jagged lines of fire. In the east there was a
pale flush that showed the black, hurrying clouds the winds had
summoned out of space.
The booming thunder, first only the sullen menace of the
approaching storm, rolled nearer and nearer, and the fierce light
came in blinding sheets of flame. A ceaseless, pauseless murmur
sprang up out of the distance, and the trees rocked with a mighty
crashing of branches, while here and there a big drop of rain
fell. Then the murmur swelled into a roar as the low clouds
disgorged themselves.
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