Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/107

 wangan had furnished a roof; now he was in the open and was about to learn his first experience in night sounds.

Charlie and Abner were breathing heavily when close at hand rang out a murderous shriek. Appalling in its menace to ignorant ears it was small wonder that Stanley gave a frightened gasp and flopped over between Abner and Bub.

“Git off of me,” groaned Abner. “What’s the matter with ye?”

“Didn’t you hear it?” asked Stanley, his heart thumping loudly.

“Great horned owl,” sleepily informed Bub. “Shut up.” Bub might have added that it was perhaps the wildest cry in nature in this region where the flora and fauna of the south meet the Hudsonian and Canadian animate and inanimate life, and resulting in a wonderful variety. But Bub was too sleepy and Stanley crept back to his place on the outside, still nervous from the shock.

Then it seemed as if the entire night was filled with blood-curdling threats. To the nerve tingling cry of the owl were added the blood chilling scream of the Canadian lynx, called the lucerfee, the explosive “qua!” of the “qua bird,” or black crowned night heron, and