Midnight
Even Walter Perkins , for the first time in his life , felt the red blood coursing healthfully through his veins , for he was fast hardening himself to the rough life of the mountains . All were tired enough to seek their beds early . Wrapping themselves in their blankets , they were soon asleep . Midnight came , and the camp fire slowly died away to a dull , lurid pile of red hot coals that shed a flicker of light now and then , as some charred stick flamed up and was consumed . A long , weird , wailing cry , as of some human being in dire distress , broke on the stillness of the night . The boys awoke with a start . `` What 's that ? ''