"Do you agree, Master Vaughan, to eat a forest breakfast of my
providing?"
"Indeed, with pleasure," answered Herbert. "Then I must ring for my
servants." As he said this, the hunter raised his curved horn to his
lips and blew a long, tremulous blast.
"That should procure us company and something to eat, master," said he,
allowing the horn to drop back to its place.
"Hark!" he continued, the instant after, "there are some of my fellows.
I thought they could not be far off."
As he spoke the sound of a horn was heard reverberating through the
woods; and then another, and another--until nearly a dozen could be
distinguished, yet all in different directions. They were evidently
answers to the signal he had sounded.
"So, Master Vaughan," he resumed, with an air expressive of triumph,
though in a restrained and modest way, "you see these vultures would not
have had it all their own way? My hawks were too near for that. Not
the less am I beholden to you, Master Vaughan. I did not think it worth
while to call my people. I knew the poltroons would not venture beyond
a little swaggering talk. See! they come!"
"Who?"
"The Maroons!"
Herbert heard a rustling among the bushes on the opposite side of the
glade; and, at the same time, about a dozen armed men emerged from the
underwood, and advanced rapidly towards the _ceiba_.
Volume One, Chapter XXVIII.