CHAPTER XXIII

ON THE WAY HOME

Jack and the stranger flew out of the house, the latter saying in a low
tone:

"Follow me! I know the way out of this tangle better than you do."

There was a rough road in front of the shack but lost itself in the
woods in one direction and wandered off among the mountains in another
so that it was necessary for one to know all its changes and branches to
keep from getting lost.

The man who had been knocked down raised a shout and he and his
companion set off in pursuit of Jack.

His guide ran swiftly but Jack was a good runner and kept up with him,
the two pursuers being speedily left behind.

They at length came out into a more open part of the road and here the
moon shone bright and gave them all the light they needed.

"Keep on this way for a time," said Jack's guide, "and we will be far
enough away to elude those scamps. I don't think they care to keep up
the race long in any event."

They hurried on although at a less swift pace for ten minutes and then,
neither seeing nor hearing any sign of pursuit, went less rapidly.

"We can slow up a bit again in a few minutes," said the stranger. "It is
a good distance from your place, I take it and you will need some time
to reach it. Perhaps you can get a conveyance but the country is not
very thickly settled about here."

At last, after going at a fast walk for some little time they came out
into an open space where the moon shone brightly and there was an
extensive view of the country.

In the distance Jack could see the river flowing on majestically in the
moonlight between the towering hills which here and there cast deep
shadows, here the channel being quite narrow and again widening into
broad lakes where all was bright.

They were at a considerable height and, pausing for some moments and
looking down upon the river he at length began to recognize certain
points and said to his guide:

"I think I know where I am but it is some distance still to go where I
wish to go. I can take a road through the mountain passes and reach home
by daylight."

"Home?" questioned the other.

"Well, I mean the Academy. I call it home while I am there."

"It is cold and it will be colder when you get into the passes where it
is dark."

"Yes, but I can walk fast. I know many of these passes and I can take
short cuts. You will not wish to return to the river?"

"No, but come on, I am in haste."

They hurried on, descendi