"No," said Jonas, "it will be safest to follow Franco." And so saying, he began to turn his oxen in the direction indicated by Franco.
The woman remonstrated against this with great earnestness. She said that they should only get entirely lost, for he was leading them altogether out of their way. But Jonas considered that the responsibility properly belonged to him, and that he must act according to his own discretion. So he pushed forward steadily after Franco.
But his progress was now interrupted by hearing another loud call behind him, back upon the pond.
"What's that?" said Josey.
"Somebody calling," said Jonas.
"More travellers lost," said the woman.—"O dear me!"
He listened again, and heard the calls more distinctly. He thought he could distinguish his own name. He answered the call, and was himself answered in return by men's voices, which now seemed more distinct and nearer.
"I know now who it is," said Jonas. "It is your uncle and Amos, coming out after us. Franco was with them."
Jonas was right. In a few minutes, the farmer and Amos came up, and they were exceedingly surprised when they saw Jonas with his oxen, drawing a sleigh, with a woman in it, off the pond, instead of a sled load of rafters from the woods.
"Jonas," said he with astonishment, "how came you here?"