“No, that won’t do,” said Bruce; “if you try to guard against turning to the right, you’ll be sure to turn too much to the left. It’s impossible to go straight unless you’re an Indian. Best to walk as straight as you can, and occasionally change your course so as to correct any deviation.”
“Why not walk zigzag?” said Phil.
“Or backwards?” said Tom. “I’ll tell you,” said Pat, “what we’d ort till do. Let’s howld a sthraight powl before ourselves, an follow it. That’ll be sure till take us sthraight.”
A roar of laughter greeted this proposal.
“Very well, Pat; get your pole and try it,” said Bart.
“‘Deed an I jist will,” said Pat; and seeing a young, slender maple near by, he cut it down with his knife, lopped off the young twigs, and thus formed a long, slender, straight pole. Taking this in his hand, he gravely put himself at the head of the party. Then he held out the pole. “There,” said he; “isn’t this powl sthraight?”
“Of course it is,” said they.
“Then sure, an if we go by it, we must go sthraight, too,” said Pat. And saying this, he started off, holding the pole before him.
The boys followed in great glee, almost bursting with laughter, while Pat led them on with his pole, with an expression of ineffable satisfaction, holding the pole straight before him.
So they went on, and Bruce, out of pure enjoyment of the thing, let Pat lead wherever he wished.