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"You may not believe it," he said between calls, "but the hunter who taught me this, told me never to use it unless I was in dire need. Then help of some sort would surely come. It is called the Elf's Horn." "Did you ever try it before," asked Reddy curiously. "No," he answered, "I never did. I suppose it's only superstition, but I love hunter's lore. Perhaps it may work. Who knows?"
Then I hear a strange whistle, many times, and I think some one get lost and I cry 'hello, and you answer and I find mademoiselle and her friends." "That was the Elf's Horn, Jean," replied Tom, "and you heard because you are a hunter." "I know not what monsieur mean by Elf Horn, but I hear whistle, anyhow, and come," remarked the old man, smiling. The others laughed.
For some years the elf's injunction was observed; but one day, in a fit of curiosity, the peasant looked into the bottom of the flask, and there sat a horrid toad! The toad disappeared, and so did the liquor; and the man in a short time fell miserably sick.
Then came the peculiar whistle that sounded like the note of a trumpet. Tom whistled repeatedly, and two minutes later they saw old Jean come racing up the steep path toward them. He had heard the mysterious Elf's Horn. "Never forgot it, did you, Jean?" laughed Tom, seizing the old man's hand and shaking it warmly.
Then it was given to a little brown elf with merry, twinkling eyes, who carried it with all speed to another part of the great hall, where the dwarfs' pretty wives were spinning. One of the little women took the yellow lump from the elf's hands, and laid it, like flax, upon her spinning-wheel.
I mean, he used to look at her, and all that, but he never give her anything, or took her out. I think ... you know ... she's a bit struck on him. That's more like it. She thinks he's a very tall handsome man. Well, he's not my taste. Funny, if you're tall, I s'pose you want a tall man to fall in love with you. It's different, being small, I suppose. My Elf's only about inch taller than me.
"It's a shame to spoil it," replied David, "but I am afraid your Elf's Horn and Jean's helloing were just a coincidence." "Coincidence or not," replied Tom good-naturedly, "my faith in the fairy horn is now unshakable. I shall use it again if I ever need to." Before a blazing fire kindled by Jean in the big fireplace, the whole party dried themselves.
Stumbling desperately on in the greater darkness of the valley, they reached the hut at last. "Tom!" shouted David at the top of his lungs. "Tom Gray! Are you there?" "Yes," sounded the unbelievable reply from within the hut. "Is that you, David! I was sure of it when I heard the Elf's Horn and answered the call. I knew you'd come for me some day."
Mebbe now because he get better an' we so near camp, after supper he tell about wil' man. Then we turn in; go to sleep quick, an' to-morrow we are safe." "You are right, Jean. I am getting better every minute, thanks to you fellows. Since I have your permission at last to talk about myself, I'll tell you what I've been crazy to say ever since I heard the call of the Elf's Horn and you found me."
"Hello-o-o!" cried a voice seemingly close by. "Hello-o-o!" "Where are you?" called Tom. "This way," answered the voice, and a light flashed a little distance off, revealing to them a man waving a lantern with one hand and beckoning with the other. One and all dashed toward the light, feeling that shelter was at hand. "It must be a hunter," panted Tom, "and he has heard the Elf's Horn."
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