They were instantly on their feet, with their rifles levelled.
It was too late; day had broken, and there was light enough to convince them that nothing was to be seen.

The sheep's quarters had, however, entirely disappeared, and they had the satisfaction of knowing that they had politely given the denizens of the forest a feast gratis.
"Ah, they shall pay us for it yet," said Jack.
"This is a case of the hunters being caught instead of the game," remarked Fritz.
"The poor sheep! If Ernest had been here, he would have erected a monument to its memory." "I doubt that; epitaphs are generally made rather to please the living than to compliment the defunct.

But, Willis, we must deprive you of your office of huntsman in chief--I shall go into the forest and revenge this insult." "I have no objection to abdicate the office of huntsman, but must retain that of admiral, in which capacity I announce to you that there will be a storm presently, and that we shall just have time to make Rockhouse before it overtakes us." "That is rather a reason for our remaining where we are." "We have come for skins, and skins we must have." "Besides, we are two to one, and in all constitutional governments the majority rules." "Have you both made up your minds ?" inquired Willis.
"Yes, we are quite decided." "In that case," said Willis, "let us hoist the anchor and be off home." "Home! but we are determined to have the skins first." "No, you are not," said Willis; "I know you better than you know yourselves.

You are both brave fellows, but I know you would not, for all the skins in the world, have your good mother suppose that you were buffeted about by the waves in a storm." "True; up with the anchor, Willis," said Fritz.
"Be it so," said Jack, shaking his fist menacingly at the silent forest, "but we shall lose nothing by waiting." The sailor had not erred in his calculations, for they had scarcely unfurled the sail before they heard the distant rumbling of the storm.
As soon as the first flash of lightning shot across the sky, Jack put his forefinger of one hand on the wrist of the other, and began counting one--two--three.
"Do you feel feverish ?" inquired Willis.
"No, not personally," replied Jack; "I am feeling the pulse of the storm--twenty-four--twenty-five--twenty-six--it is a mile off." "Aye! how do you make that out ?" "Very easily; you recollect Ernest telling us that light travelled so rapidly, that the time it occupied in passing from one point to another of the earth's surface was scarcely perceptible to our senses ?" "Yes, but I thought he was spinning a yarn at the time." "You were wrong, Willis; he likewise told us that sound travels at the rate of four hundred yards in a second." "Well, but--" "Have patience, Willis! When the lightning flashes, the electric spark is discharged, is it not ?" "Well, I was never high enough aloft to see." "But others have been; Newton and Franklin have seen it.

Now, if the sound reaches our ears a second after the flash, it has travelled four hundred yards.