Page:Barbour--Captain Chub.djvu/163

Rh field beyond was not much lighter, while to make matters worse they crossed the latter where it was little better than a swamp, and at every step their shoes went squash, squash in the yielding turf. But they were soon across it and in the gloom of the farther woods.

“Courage, mon braves,” said Chub. “It is soon over.”

But Chub was wrong, for they stumbled on and on, through bushes and briars, and still no road appeared out of the darkness.

“This is funny,” panted Dick, pausing to disentangle himself from the affectionate embrace of a vine. “We ought to have reached the road long ago.”

“It is the enchanted forest,” replied Chub. “Have you never read of the enchanted forest?”

“We’ve been keeping too far to the right,” said Roy, thoughtfully. “Let’s try it off this way.”

“By all means!” Chub bumped into a tree, drew back to murmur politely, “I beg your pardon, madam,” and followed.

“If I ever find that road,” said Dick, savagely, “you can be sure I’m going to stay on it!”