A giant of the forest was not far away, and having procured two good saplings, each having a crook at one end, they hauled themselves up into the tree. Standing on one limb, each would reach for that above with the crook, and then haul himself up on the sapling, as a sailor hauls himself up on a rope. To climb up along the big tree trunk was entirely out of the question.
Mounting to the very top of such a large tree was no easy task, and both felt tired when they had gained the position desired. A grand panorama was now spread before them and they surveyed it with interest.
"That's the trail!" cried Barringford, pointing it out. "But it's a good mile from here."
"And there is the river, just beyond!" replied Dave. "But, Sam, it looks like a rough walk to get to it."
"'Twill be a rough journey truly, lad, but that can't be helped. Let us be thankful that we have located ourselves."
"I am thankful. It was horrible to be lost in such a wilderness as this."
Having fixed the "lay of the land" well in their heads, they descended to the ground, put out the camp-fire, and started in the direction of the trail. They had proceeded less than a hundred yards when Barringford called a halt.
"What is it now, Sam?"
"Boggy ground, Dave. We've got to go around."
"Which way?" asked the youth, and then gave a sudden yell. "Look out! There's a snake!"