Even Herbert Watrous, accustomed as he was to the delicacies and
refinements of a city home, admitted that there was something about the
meal which, washed down with clear, pure water, had a flavor surpassing
anything of the kind he had ever known.
The causes why it tasted thus I have already stated.
CHAPTER XVII.
A TEST OF MARKSMANSHIP.
The boys were so tired from their severe tramp, and the rest was so
grateful after finishing their dinner, that they stayed where they were
an hour longer. Then, realizing that nothing could be done by idleness,
they slung their reloaded rifles over their shoulders, took another
drink of water, and lazily made their way to higher ground.
"I have been thinking," said Nick, when they paused again, "that we will
be more likely to learn something of the bear if we separate."
"For how long?" Herbert asked.
"Until night, or until we find him."
"But how can we find each other at night?"
"That can be fixed easily enough; if necessary, we can signal to each
other, or we can pick out some landmark that can be seen a long ways
off and gradually approach that as the sun goes down."
There was nothing brilliant in this proposition, but after some
discussion it was agreed to by the others, and they began looking around
for something which might serve them as a guide.
Directly to the north, the woods rose in a series of hills of no great
elevation, but among them were numerous large rocks of limestone
formation, some of them of such a light color that they could be seen a
long distance.
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