“All mountain streams do, of course,” said Forester.  “They go down wherever they can find a valley or a hollow,—­joining together and taking in branches as they proceed,—­until they get down into the level country, and then they flow to the nearest river, and so to the sea.  Now I know that the river takes a bend around this mountainous tract, and almost surrounds it, and all the streams from it must flow into the river without going very far.  We could follow one down, though we should probably find the way very rough and difficult.”

“Let us try it,” said Marco.

This plan was decided upon, and so, when the snow squall was entirely over and the sun had come out Marco and Forester, taking their departure from the great tree and guiding their course by the sun, the travelers set out, proceeding as nearly in a straight line as possible, intending to go on in that manner until they should come to some stream, and then to follow the stream down to the river.  The plan succeeded perfectly well.  They soon descended into a valley, where they found a little brook flowing over a bed of moss-covered stones.  They followed this brook down for about a mile, when they came to a junction between the brook that they were following and another one.  After this junction of course the stream was larger, and in many places they found it difficult to get along.  The way was encumbered with bushes, rocks, and fallen trees, and in one place the stream flowed in a foaming torrent through the bottom of a deep chasm, with sides rising directly out of the water.  Here the travelers were obliged to find a way at a distance from the brook—­guiding themselves, however, by the sound of its roaring.  After passing the chasm, they got back to the stream again.

They came out into the open country about one o’clock, and found to their great joy that they were very near the place where the horses were pastured.  The horses were all ready for them, and Forester and Marco mounted them immediately, and set out on their return home.

It was very pleasant riding along at their ease on horseback, after all the dangers and fatigues that they had encountered.  A part of the way the road which they took lay along the shore of the river.  Marco enjoyed this part of the ride very much indeed.

They reached home about sunset, with an excellent appetite for supper.  Marco was very enthusiastic in his manner of giving his aunt Forester an account of his adventures, and he said, in conclusion, that he would just as lief get lost in the woods as not.  It was good fun.