They made the best of an unpleasant situation. Some evergreen boughs were cut, and a rude sort of shelter made. Under this they crawled, to pass the long hours of darkness. It was no fun waiting thus for morning to come, but the boys did not always look for fun.
They were astir with the first streak of dawn, and then they saw how needless had been their suffering.
For they had spent the night in the open, not half a mile from the comfortable cabin. Only they were not familiar enough with the woods to recognize how near “home” they were.
“Well, I’ll be jiggered!” exclaimed Ned, when this fact was borne in to them.
“No use crying over spilled milk,” consoled Jerry. “Let’s have breakfast and then we’ll start out again.”
And never had a breakfast tasted so delicious.
They made fast time back along the trail again, carrying with them enough food to last for some time, though they expected to be back in the cabin by night. They soon reached and passed the point where they had turned back before, and hurried on, alert for what they might find.
Suddenly Jerry, who was in the lead, uttered a cry.
“Have you found him?” called Ned, pressing forward.
“No, but look here!”