It was as well that they went cautiously, for the two boys were much closer to them than they had expected.  To the left of the wood was a big level field, and it was here, and not on the lawn, that they were playing.  The sound of a voice calling impatiently to Hal to hurry up with that ball, and not to be all night about it, was what first drew their attention to his whereabouts; and feeling rather astonished that any one should venture to address him in that imperious way, they crept up to the edge of the wood, and became silent spectators of what was going on.