“The man actually had tears in his eyes,” Bob declared, after they had gone.
“I honestly think that he’s a good fellow at heart,” Rex declared.
It did not take them long to decide against starting back that afternoon.
“We’ll hit the hay early tonight and get off by daylight,” Bob said as he opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. “The wind has shifted into the northwest,” he announced, a moment later as he came back. “It’s growing colder and that just suits us. If it will only freeze tonight we can make twenty or twenty-five miles before it gets soft.”
“Who owns this cabin?” Jack asked turning to Rex.
“It belongs to a friend of Dad’s in Philadelphia. His name is Brown and he comes up here every summer for a couple of months.”
The cabin was well stocked with supplies and Rex said that they were at liberty to take what they wished with them. Before going to bed that night they got everything ready so that there might be no delay in getting off in the morning.
As Bob had hoped it froze hard during the night and when they started just as the eastern sky was beginning to lighten, they found a good hard crust. They were all in high spirits as they slung their packs onto their backs and fastened the snow-shoes on top of them.
“Here’s where we make a record,” Jack shouted as he took the lead.
“Now, son, don’t you go to hitting it up too fast. Remember Rex isn’t in training for a long hike,” Bob cautioned.