It was Sherlock's turn on watch and he'd already alerted himself to Howard's presence long before the boy spoke, though he acted as if he hadn't. He might have tensed, at first, fingers sliding around the knife in his pocket - but they'd released when he'd put the data together and figured out who it was.

Howard wasn't a threat. Not to them, at least.

When the boy spoke, he turned his head.

"It's clear, Howard," He spoke into the trees.