“Keep on this way for a time,” said Jack’s guide, “and we will be far enough away to elude those scamps. I don’t think they care to keep up the race long in any event.”
They hurried on although at a less swift pace for ten minutes and then, neither seeing nor hearing any sign of pursuit, went less rapidly.
“We can slow up a bit again in a few minutes,” said the stranger. “It is a good distance from your place, I take it and you will need some time to reach it. Perhaps you can get a conveyance but the country is not very thickly settled about here.”
At last, after going at a fast walk for some little time they came out into an open space where the moon shone brightly and there was an extensive view of the country.
In the distance Jack could see the river flowing on majestically in the moonlight between the towering hills which here and there cast deep shadows, here the channel being quite narrow and again widening into broad lakes where all was bright.
They were at a considerable height and, pausing for some moments and looking down upon the river he at length began to recognize certain points and said to his guide:
“I think I know where I am but it is some distance still to go where I wish to go. I can take a road through the mountain passes and reach home by daylight.”
“Home?” questioned the other.
“Well, I mean the Academy. I call it home while I am there.”
“It is cold and it will be colder when you get into the passes where it is dark.”