Chapter 23

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, descending a little and passed through some woods where they could not see the river.

When they came in sight of it again the man said:

"Go on and rejoin your comrades. I will go another way. You can get back from here?"

"Yes, without much trouble. Where are you going?"

"Away, where you will never see me again!" and the man suddenly darted down a forest path.

"I hope he will do better," said Jack to himself, "but I don't know. He says he has tried to do so before but he never succeeded. I hope he will do so this time but I do not want to see him again. I cannot get over my past recollections."

He took another path and at length came to a pass through the hills which would cut off a considerable distance provided he did not lose his way by taking a wrong turn and he decided to hazard it.

Overhead there were great round peaks about which the clouds always seemed to hover, about him were giant trees which seemed to be hundreds of years old and as he walked on the shadows stretched deep and mysterious before him so that he might well pause for fear of going astray or of meeting unwelcome companions.

In a short time he came out upon a level stretch of ground whence he could easily see how the land lay and pick out a path back to the river and the nearest town to Hilltop.

He set out at a good walk and reached a village below the station at the foot of the hill whence he could make his way across at about eight o'clock in the morning.

"I can get to the Academy in time for school," he said to himself, "and give somebody a surprise. I'd like to know what they are thinking of now but I know what they will think when they see me walk in to take my examinations."

He had calculated the time correctly for as he reached the top of the hill in front of the Academy and saw the well-known buildings stretching out before him he heard the warning bell which told him he must hasten.

The boys were already indoors and Jack hurried on, entered and went to the great schoolroom, taking his seat and saying quietly while all the boys looked at him in astonishment:

"I am sorry to have been detained, sir but I trust that I am in here in time for the first examination."

Then, although it was against the rules, the majority of the boys raised a joyous shout and gave three hearty cheers.