And at seven o'clock that morning they parted. Just before the farewells Alan called Ned to one side and said:
"Hadn't you better take my bag?" indicating the jewel case under his arm.
"Why?" answered Ned.
"Well, you know we may never see each other again."
Ned took his chum's hand.
"Alan," he said, "we were not born to lose ourselves in the woods, much less to die there. We'll meet again all right. Don't you have any fears on that point. But if we shouldn't, I won't care for amethysts or pearls. If I don't see you again it'll be because I'm beyond the need of those things."
There were handshakes and cheering, good wishes, and the relief section was off.
"Elmer," said Alan, after the two had been trailing through the trees Indian fashion some time, "it is daylight at four o'clock and dark at seven—that's fifteen hours. Can you walk two miles an hour?"
"Sho'ly," smiled Elmer, showing his white teeth.
"Well, that's thirty miles a day. If we could do that for four days we'd be in Clarkeville!"