“Maybe this is the way home!” thought Ted. “I hope it is!”
He paused for a moment before turning into this path. He listened. No longer did he hear the rustling in the tree branches overhead, showing that the lynx was following him. Nor did he hear that strange, wailing cry.
“Maybe I drove him away when I hit him on the nose!” thought Ted.
He started down the path, running as fast as he could. Then, a little later, he saw that it did not lead to the bungalow at Mount Major. Instead it led to a little clearing, and in the midst of this place, where the trees were cut down, stood a lonely cabin.
Who lived there? Did anyone? Would it be best for Ted to knock and ask to be taken in for the night?
CHAPTER XVI
THE TRICK CROW
While Ted was standing on the edge of the clearing looking at the light gleaming from the lonely cabin and wondering whether or not he should go up to it and ask for shelter, the search for him was going on in another part of the woods.
As it grew darker and darker and got later and later, even Mr. Martin began to give up hope of finding Ted that night. And some of the men in the party led by the foreman, Tod Everett, spoke out and said:
“There’s no use going on any farther. The boy’s probably asleep in some hollow tree or covered with leaves to keep himself warm in some ravine. We might as well give up until daylight.”
But the foreman would not give up unless Mr. Martin asked him to, and so he decided to circle around and meet the boy’s father.