But none of them had so much as a pin and they were forced to give up their hope of trout.
"I suppose it's pretty risky building a fire, but without it I don't believe we'd have strength enough to get out," Bob said as he turned the rabbit.
The meal was, as Bob had predicted, somewhat flat, but there is nothing like real hunger to make a meal taste right and there was not a trace of anything but the bones left when they had finished.
"Never cared much for rabbit before but that certainly did hit the right spot," Jack declared.
"Now we want to make as good time as we can," Bob said as they were ready to start once more. "It's more than likely that they've seen the smoke from our fire and are on our trail."
Much strengthened by the meal they set out with renewed courage and, stopping only when if was necessary for a breathing spell, they kept on hour after hour. Bob was afraid that Sue would not be able to keep up the pace but, to his surprise, she seemed absolutely tireless and often urged them to greater speed. If was shortly after noon when they came to a trail, and halted for a rest.
"Why, this is the trail to The Owl's Head," Sue declared as they were about to start again.
"Are you sure?" Bob asked.
"Sure is right. See that big tree right there? Well you look on the other side of it and you'll find my initials, S.B., cut in the bark about four feet from the ground."
"Right you are," Jack announced a moment later. "It's S.B. all right."