a view of making eight
or ten miles more before they stopped to rest; but the result was
discouraging. It took more than a half hour to make sure they had found
it, and then they had not gone twenty yards, when Fred said he could
not tell whether he was in the path or not.

"It's no use," he added; "we may as well stop, for we are sure to repeat
the mistake of to-day: we'll get so far wrong that it'll take many hours
to find our way back again, and we shall lose far more than we gain."

"That bein' the same--and I'm willin' to agraa that ye are now strivin'
to till the truth--let's turn off from the trail, go back so far that
there isn't any chance for any one to saa us and slaap till mornin'."

Since there was nothing else to do, the boys did as Terry proposed. They
were not so tired as they were the night before, and they did not dare
to lie down on the leaves and sleep as they did then. There were wild
animals prowling through the woods, and the fact that the lads escaped
once could be no guaranty that they would have equally good fortune a
second time.

Terry proposed that they should climb a tree and make a bed among the
branches; but that was hardly feasible. It is not often that the limbs
of a tree are accommodating enough to allow any one to rest with
comfort. The branches may be pleasant for a time, but the limbs soon
become like iron rods and the position so cramped as to drive away all
comfort. In addition, there was the danger of a fatal fall during sleep.

So it was decided to hunt out the most secluded place possible and start
a fire. That would keep off the wild animals, and the boys were not in
such need of sleep that they could not afford to take turns with each
other in watching through the night.

While hunting a suitable spot, they moved down the river bank for fully
a hundred yards, and then entered some dense undergrowth which they
penetrated until they were sure that no safer place could be found. So
they began gathering twigs, leaves and branches, and piling them against
the shaggy bark of a tree, and soon had all they wanted. This was fired
by means of the flint and steel, and a roaring, crackling blaze made
every thing look cheerful.

"Let's walk off a little ways," said Fred, "and see whether the light
can be noticed very far; you know that we can not be too careful."

Terry liked the proposal, and rose to act upon it. They moved in
opposite directions, walking several rods, and then