The effect on the auditors was general and instantaneous.
Notwithstanding the recent dialogue, the young men involuntarily sought
their arms, while the startled females huddled together like a flock of
trembling and timid deer.
"There is, of a certainty, a signal from without!" Content at length
observed, after waiting to suffer the sounds to die away among the angles
of the buildings. "Some hunter, who hath strayed from his path, claimeth
hospitality."
Eben Dudley shook his head like one who dissented, but, having with all
the other youths grasped his musket, he stood as undetermined as the rest
concerning the course it was proper to pursue. It is uncertain how long
this indecision might have continued, had no further summons been given;
but he without appeared too impatient of delay to suffer much time to be
lost. The conch sounded again, and with far better success than before.
The blast was longer, louder, and bolder, than that which had first
pierced the walls of the dwelling, rising full and rich on the air, as
though one well practised in the use of the instrument had placed lips to
the shell.
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