“That must be the captain,” she said. She hooted back. Susan away on the right hooted in reply. Again they all listened. Then they moved forward again.
“Hullo,” cried Roger, “someone’s been here.”
Titty ran to him. There was a round place where the grass and ferns were pressed flat as if someone had been lying there.
“He’s left his knife,” said Roger, holding up a big clasp knife that he had found in the grass.
Titty hooted like an owl three times.
The captain and the mate came running.
“He must be quite close to,” said Titty.
“We’ve got his knife, anyway,” said Roger.
Captain John bent down and felt the flattened grass with his hand.
“It’s not warm,” he said.
“Well, it wouldn’t stay warm very long,” said the mate.
“Spread out again and go on,” said Captain John. “We mustn’t let him get away with Swallow . He can’t be far away, because we heard him. If he had taken Swallow to sea we should have seen her. He must have her here, somewhere, close along the shore.”
At that moment there was a wild yell, “Hurrah, Hurrah.” But the yelling did not come from in front of them. It came from behind them, from the direction of the camp.
“Come on,” said Captain John, “keep together. Charge!”