CHAPTER XVI
WHERE WOODCRAFT PAYS
Progress of course was utterly out of the question while all this racket continued. Indeed, even with the aid of the lantern, and the almost incessant flashing of the lightning, they could never have found the marks left by Perk in his erratic wanderings; for already had the downpour of rain washed them completely out of existence as though the trail had never been.
“No telling how long this is going to last, of course?” called out Amos, and his voice quivered more or less, despite his brave efforts to appear quite unconcerned, as a veteran of camp and trail should.
“It may soon be over,” replied Elmer, “and again there’s always a chance of such a storm holding out all night.”
“Wonder if we couldn’t find some sort of shelter?” ventured Wee Willie, doubtless voicing the thought that was in each of his companions’ minds.
“Let’s bear off in this direction,” suggested Elmer, turning toward the right, and as he carried the lantern the others were compelled to follow him.
“But the trees seem to be getting smaller over here, Elmer,” protested the tall chum.
“Sure thing, I know that,” called the guide over his shoulder, “but we’re not looking for any big hollow oak, with all this lightning around, you know. Notice that the ground’s getting rocky, and that it begins to lie in queer ledges? I’ve seen just such places before, and I’m hoping we’ll run across a ledge that’ll hang out far enough to let us crawl underneath.”
“Wow! that’s the stuff!” admitted Wee Willie, apparently giving in to the judgment of his leader without any dispute.
“Something up ahead there that looks like it might pan out,” called Amos just then; though he could not feel sure he saw correctly, because of the water that ran down his face, and seemed at times to act as a sort of curtain hiding out the wretched picture.