Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/122

 blaze going in. Now after he got in and decided he would want to come again, to build the shack, or for any other purpose, he followed his trail back and chipped the trees on the side we now see.”

“But why didn’t he chip, or blaze both sides when going in?” asked Stanley, his brows frowning.

“Because he did not know when he went in if he would ever come this way again. If he wanted to come back this way he made his back-blaze. That would lead him out. But he wouldn’t spend time blazing both sides till he knew if he wanted to go over that trail again.”

“What did he make the trail for; a road?”

“O no. When you blaze for a road you blaze a tree on each side of where you want the road to go,” answered Bub.

“Well,” decided Stanley, “I can see how Abner and Charlie have an easy time following the half-breed.”

“Stanley, you don’t mean that! It’s too good to be true,” roared Bub, now convulsed with mirth.

“Say, Bub Thomas, we’ve been good friends, but you annoy me,” exclaimed Stanley. “What have I said that is so amusing?”

“I must laugh if you kill me,”'sobbed Bub.