CHAPTER XXXII.
TWO NEW ACQUAINTANCES.
Dean had no particular choice as to the direction he would take. His principal desire was to get out of the neighborhood, so as to avoid meeting Kirby or Dan, as this would insure a second term of imprisonment from which he could not hope to escape so easily. He had a general idea of the location of the cabin in which he had passed the previous night, and he shaped his course as far away from it as possible. He looked at his watch, which Kirby had neglected to take, and found that it was between four and five in the afternoon. He did not know how far the wooded district extended, but hoped soon to emerge from it.
MR. KIRBY WAS COUNTING A NUMBER OF $50 BILLS.
It might have been that he was bewildered, but the farther he traveled the more he seemed to be surrounded by trees. Moreover the shades were deepening, and soon the night would settle about him.
"I wish I had a compass," thought Dean. "That would help me find my way out of this labyrinth."
He had met no one as yet, and this was upon the whole a relief, as the persons most likely to be encountered were Kirby and Dan. But at length a sound of voices fell upon his ear, and he stayed his steps in momentary alarm. He listened intently, but was reassured when he found that the voices were unfamiliar.
"It may be some one who can show me the way out of these woods," thought Dean. "At any rate I don't believe they will harm a boy. I will try to find them."
Guided by the voices he directed his steps in the direction of the sound, and found himself at length in an open space. Under a tree reclined two stalwart men who, from their garb, appeared to be miners. They were lying in an easy position, and both were smoking pipes.
"Good-afternoon, gentlemen," said Dean politely.