"Who goes there?"

"A scout of the Red Fox Patrol!"

"Advance scout, and give the countersign!"

A figure came shuffling forward, bent over, and whispered a word in the
ear of the sentinel at the door of the old tobacco barn.

"Correct! Pass in, scout!" said the one on guard, solemnly.

But William chose to loiter by the door, and watch the gathering of the
clans, for the boys arrived rapidly after that, usually in pairs.

"Where's the other twin?" asked Paul, seeing William alone.

"Unavoidably detained, Captain. May be on deck later. Here comes another
bunch," and William stepped aside to allow the sentry to halt Andy Flinn,
who had arrived in company with Jud Elderkin, the latter as tall and thin
as the former was fat and pudgy.

"Pass along, gentlemen," sang out William, after the pair had
successfully stood the test; "the animals went in two by two; the
elephant and the kangaroo!" and as usual there was a laugh at this
sally, which applied so aptly to the couple just entering.

"All here now, Paul," announced Jack Stormways, counting noses in the
light of half a dozen lanterns provided by Mr. Shipley, the owner of the
barn.