"Let me precede you," said Bonneville. "We must go to the right."
Bonneville took the direction he named, and stalked on with the persistency he had shown on leaving the banks of the stream. Petit-Pierre followed him.
From time to time the Comte de Bonneville stopped to reconnoitre the way and give his companion time to breathe. He warned him of the various obstacles in the path before they came to them, with a minuteness which showed how thoroughly familiar he was with the forest of Machecoul.
"You see I am avoiding the paths," he said to his companion, during one of their halts.
"Yes; and why do you do so?"
"Because they will be certain to look for us in the paths where the ground is soft; whereas here, where there has not been so much trampling, our steps are less likely to be observed."
"But perhaps this way is the longer."
"Yes, but safer."
They walked on for ten minutes in silence, when Bonneville stopped and caught his companion by the arm. The latter asked what the trouble was.
"Hush! or speak very low," said Bonneville.