Varley undoubtedly would put on his snow-shoes when he reached the outskirts of the town, and strike out over the hills. If he kept near the main road, it would be possible for a pursuer to use a short-cut, and overhaul him without much difficulty. Just at the time, too, Varley was almost the only fellow with whom Sam felt that he could foregather without sacrifice of pride, for in the matter of the runaway Varley’s part had been sufficiently inglorious. So Sam made haste. He got himself into cap and coat, and laid hold of his snow-shoes, and departed by way of back streets and paths which lessened distance. Where the houses were few and far between, and there were long stretches of snow unmarked by runner or footprint, he adjusted his snow-shoes with practiced care, and headed up a little valley, marked here and there by clumps of trees. Traveling briskly, he soon reached the end of the valley, and climbed a low hill to his left. At its top ran the road Varley was likely to follow. So shrewdly had Sam made his calculations that, when he gained the summit, he saw the other approaching and hardly a hundred yards away.
For a novice Varley was not doing badly. His speed, to be sure, was not great, and he floundered along a bit clumsily on his web-supports; but he took no tumbles while Sam waited for him to come up.
“Hullo, Parker!” he called out, as he drew near. “Where did you drop from?”
“Oh, I’m just taking a little breezer,” responded Sam carelessly. “Pretty good going, eh?”
Varley laughed. “I guess it’s good; I don’t know. This is a new game for me.”
Sam surveyed him from head to foot. “Well, you’re rigged for it, anyway.”
“Oh, I outfitted at one of the big sporting-goods stores before I left the city. Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t rather overdo it.”
“You’re all right,” said Sam shortly, if encouragingly. “Say! that’s a newfangled sandal you’ve got there.”
Varley glanced at the leather foot-piece attached to the snow-shoe and into which his foot fitted snugly.
“They told me it was the latest thing. Somehow, though, I’m not sure that it works as it ought to.”