“With me,” explained Jack Stormways, “it happened that Bluff here was just in my way when I had the chance to aim.”
“Well,” laughed Bobolink, “you might have shot straight through his head, because it’s a vacuum. I once heard a teacher tell him so when he failed in his lessons every day for a week.”
“Oh! there’s bound to be plenty of deer where you can see one so easily,” Paul told them, “so 106 cheer up. Unless I miss my guess we’ll have all sorts of game to eat while up here in the snow woods. Abe said it was a big season for fur and feather this year.”
They kept plodding along and put more miles behind them. The moon now had to be relied on to afford them light, because the last of the sunset glow had departed from the western heavens.
Phil was beginning to feel very tired, and feared he would have to give up unless inside of another mile or two they arrived at their intended destination. Being a proud boy he detested showing any signs of weakness, and clinched his teeth more tightly together as he pressed on, keeping a little behind the rest, so that no one should hear his occasional groan.
All at once a glad cry broke out ahead, coming from Sandy Griggs, who at the moment chanced to be in the van.
“I reckon that’s a jolly big fire yonder, fellows, unless I miss my guess!” he told them.
“It is a fire, sure thing,” agreed Bobolink.
“Tolly Tip has been looking for us, it seems, and has built a roaring blaze out of doors to serve as a guide to our faltering steps!” announced Jud, pompously, although he could hardly have been referring to himself, for his pace seemed to be just as swift and bold as when he first set out. 107
“It’s less than half a mile away I should say, even with this crooked stream to navigate,” announced Bobolink, more to comfort Phil than anything else.