BERT DODGE HEARS FRIGHTFUL NEWS Half an hour passed.

At last there came the long-drawn, doleful note of the screech owl.
It was but an amateurish imitation; an Indian would have treated it with contempt, but it was well enough done to deceive untrained ears.
Tom glanced at Danny Grin, smiling quietly.

The imitation note of the screech owl was a signal from Dick that Dodge and Bayliss had arrived, and were starting their nonsense.
Still Tom did not speak of this to Dan.

There could be no telling whether Dodge or Bayliss might be within hearing already.

So Tom and Dan, gripping their quite harmless weapons, became more alert in appearance.
It was true enough that Dodge and Bayliss were now on the scene.
They had hidden their car off at the side of the road, a mile or more below, and had crept forward with their outfit for the night's big scare.
Dodge carried half a dozen large hot-air balloons, which he had made for the purpose.