“I,” said Bart, whose hesitation had been driven away by the doctor’s words.
“I,” said Arthur.
“And I,” said Tom. “And I,” said Phil.
“Bedad, thin, an it’s mesilf that’ll jine that same,” said Pat, who preferred the comparative freedom that he would enjoy under Bruce to the restraint which he felt with the doctor. For the doctor, who, with the other boys, was a great favorite, and had won all their hearts by that boyish enthusiasm which age could never extinguish in him, and by his evident fellow-feeling and sympathy with them in all their joys and sorrows, was not so well known to Pat, and, in spite of his kindness to the poor Irish boy, still remained an object of grateful affection certainly, but yet one of extreme awe. So Pat elected to go with Bruce.
The other boys preferred taking their chance with the doctor. These were Jiggins, Bogud, Sammy, Johnny, and Billymack. Thus the party was about equally divided,—five going under the command of Bruce, and five under the command of the doctor. By the time these arrangements were completed it was three o’clock. They all felt refreshed by their rest, and inspirited also by the prospect of getting onward out of the woods into some road, or some settlement.
“If I reach Hall’s Harbor,” said the doctor, “I will get horses, and drive at once to where we left our wagons. If you get to the Scott’s Bay road, go back to that place and wait for me.”
With these words the doctor and his party set off in one direction, while Bruce started away with his followers in another. As the trees were farther apart near the edge of the cliff, he walked along here for some time; but at last finding that the line was irregular, and coming to a place where it ran out into a kind of promontory, he kept on, seeking only to find the easiest place for walking. For a long time he tried to keep in a line with what he supposed to be the direction of the coast; but at length he found himself away from it altogether. He then turned, determined to regain it, but found the way so difficult that he gave it up.
“The fact is, boys,” said he, “our only chance was to keep stolidly along the edge of the cliff, and follow all its windings. We’ve lost it now. There are two things for us to do—either to get back to the cliff again at all hazards, or to keep on through the woods as we are going now. One is the safer way, but the other is easier.”
“O, bother the cliff,” said Bart; “we’re doing very well. I don’t care, for my part, whether we’re lost or not. I’d just as soon camp out. The only trouble is, we haven’t anything to eat. We’ve eaten all our sandwiches. And then these miserable spades. I don’t see why they couldn’t have taken them. But no—Jiggins and Bogud insisted on taking the hammer and the basket, and they call that a fair division!”
“I’m of Bart’s opinion,” said Arthur. “I say, let’s go where it is easiest, and trust to luck. And let’s all take care of our right legs, and not let them drag us into a circle.”