Peter was walking along. But here, somewhere,
there led a trail off the grade, down through the ditch,
and to the northeast into the bush which swallows it up
and closes behind it. This trail needs to be looked for
even in daytime, and I was to find it at night! But by
this time starlight began to aid. Vega stood nearly
straight overhead, and Deneb and Altair, the great autumnal
triangle in our skies. The Bear, too, stood out boldly,
and Cassiopeia opposite.
I drew in and got out of the buggy; and walking up to
the horse's head, got ahold of the bridle and led him,
meanwhile scrutinizing the ground over which I stepped.
At that I came near missing the trail. It was just a
darkening of the ground, a suggestion of black on the
brown of the grade, at the point where poles and logs
had been pulled across with the logging chain. I sprang
down into the ditch and climbed up beyond and felt with
my foot for the dent worn into the edge of the slope, to
make sure that I was where I should be. It was right, so
I led the horse across. At once he stood on three legs
again, left hindleg drawn up, and rested.
"Well, Peter," I said, "I suppose I have made it easy
enough for you: We have another twelve miles to make.
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