invasion of human beings. But the
deer continued numerous and there were both bears and mountain lions
along the slopes.

Will, who had a certain turn for solitude, being of a thoughtful,
serious nature, ceased to find the waiting in the valley irksome. He
began to think less of the treasure for which he had come so far and
through such dangers. They _had_ found a happy valley, and he did not
care how long they stayed in it, all nature being so propitious. He had
never before breathed an air so fine, and always it was redolent with
the odor of pine and balsam. He began to feel that Boyd had not
exaggerated much when he talked about his increase in height and chest
expansion.

Both he and the hunter bathed every morning in Lake Boyd. At first Will
could not endure its cold water more than five minutes, but at the end
of ten days he was able to splash and swim in it as long as he liked.

Their days were not all passed in idleness, as they replenished their
stores by jerking the meat of both bear and deer. At the end of two
weeks the hunter began to talk of departure, and he and Will walked
toward the western end of the valley, where the creek issued in a narrow
pass, the only road by which they could leave.

"It's likely to be a mighty rough path," said Boyd, "but our horses are
still mountain climbers and we'll be sure to make it."

They went a little nearer and listened to the music of the singing
waters, as the creek rushed through the cleft. It was a fine, soothing
note, but presently another rose above it, clear and melodious.

It was a whistle, and it had such a penetrating quality that Will, at
first, thought it was a bird. Then he knew it sprang from the throat of
a man, hidden by the bushes and coming up the pass. Nearer and nearer it
came and mellower and mellower it grew. He had never before heard anyone
whistle so beautifully. It was like a song, but it was evident that
someone was entering their happy valley, and in that wilderness who
could come but an enemy? Nearer and nearer the whistler drew and the
musical note of the whistling and its echoes filled all the pass.

"Wouldn't it be better for us to draw back a little where we can remain
hidden among the brakes?" said Will.

"Yes, do it," replied the hunter, "just for precaution against any
possible mistake, but I don't think we really need to do so. In all the
world there's not another such whistler! It's bound to be Giant Tom,
Giant Tom his very