“Bet he was the one you hitched,” exclaimed Phil.
“Bet he wasn’t. I know how to tie a knot a horse can’t pull out.”
“So do I.”
While they were talking, the boys were running toward the remaining black, and as they reached it, Ted glanced at the loop about the tree and cried:
“I knew it was the one you tied! See that double knot here? That’s the kind to hold. Come here and I’ll show you how to tie it!”
“Well, there’s no good in rubbing it in. He probably hasn’t gone very far. Get some oats in a pan and we’ll go after him.”
Quickly Ted obeyed, and having found where the horse entered the woods, they started in pursuit, expecting to come upon him browsing. When, however, at the end of half an hour they had failed to catch even a glimpse of the black, they halted.
“You don’t suppose he has gone back to Bradley, do you?” asked Ted.
“I should think he would have taken the way we came in, if he has. Instead, he seems to have gone in the opposite direction.”
“Which makes me think we’d better begin breaking branches to mark our own trail or we’ll never be able to find our own way back.”