“I guess we’re too far upstream, after all,” said Roy. “Let’s look the other way.” “I’m thankful the river doesn’t run east and west as well,” said Chub. “’Tis a merry life we lead.” Back they went to the cove and around that to another point. But below there the shore wound in and out confusedly, and, even had the _Slow Poke_ lain fifty yards away from them, it was now so dark that it is doubtful if they could have discerned her. “Let us lie down here quietly and die,” suggested Chub. “Oh, don’t fool,” said Roy. “Come on.” “Wait a minute, fellows!” this from Dick. “Come to think of it, when we got out onto the road this afternoon there was a sign on the fence, don’t you remember?” “Sure!” cried Chub. “‘Noble’s Chill and Fever Compound;’ we spoke of it! That’s easy; all we’ve got to do is to get back to the road and find the sign.” “For all we know there may be one every fifty feet,” said Roy, pessimistically. “However, we’ll try it.” Getting back to the road was no simple matter, though. The woods were pitch dark now, and the 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!” “I don’t believe there is a road,” said Chub. “I’m going to find one if I have to walk all night,” said Roy. “That’s what you think,” replied Chub, sadly. “But you’re in the enchanted forest, I tell you. We’re Little _Nemos_, that’s what we are!” But the next moment the darkness gave place to twilight and they stumbled down a little bank to the dusty road. With one accord they threw themselves down on the grass. “Here’s where I stay until morning,” sighed Dick. “Isn’t that a sign over there?” Roy asked. “Maybe,” muttered Chub, “but I’ve got so I don’t believe in signs.” Roy, however, had crossed the road and was trying to decipher the words on the panel nailed to the fence. Finally he lighted a match and, “‘Noble’s Chill and Fever Compound,’” he read, “‘safe and certain. Ask your druggist.’”