On this was scrawled in big letters,
by some instrument evidently not intended for penmanship:--
"FOLLOW THE BLAZED TRAIL AND YOU ARE SAFE."
"Another blazed trail! Hurrah!" shouted Dol. "Won't I follow it? I never
will follow any other again if I live to be a hundred, and come to these
woods every year till I die!"
The height of his relief could only be measured by the depth of his past
misery, which would truly have been enough to set a weaker boy crazy.
With watering eyes and panting breaths that came near to being sobs of
gladness, he started upon the new trail. It led him off into the forest
surrounding the swamp.
The pine that had been chosen for guide-post was the first in the line
of spotted trees. The others followed it closely, with intervals of
eight or ten yards between them; and as the notches in their trunks were
freshly cut, Dol followed the track without any difficulty for twenty
minutes. He had a suspicion that he was nearing the end of it; though he
was still in forest gloom, with light coming in meagre, ever-lessening
streaks through the pine-tufts above.
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