“Seems to me,” said Malcolm, “we’d better strike off to the right.” “Well, the fog on the right looks just as nice as that on the left,” answered Rob philosophically. “Come on. Perhaps, though, we’d have done better to have followed the edge of the woods.” “That’s so,” Evan agreed. “Let’s do that.” “First find your woods,” said Malcolm. “They’re right back there,” said Evan, pointing. “Get out! They’re off there!” And Rob indicated a different point of the compass. Malcolm shrugged his shoulders. “I guess we won’t look for them,” he said dryly. “Come on and let’s hit up the pace. At least we’ve got level ground to walk on, and that’s something.” “It may be level,” Jelly muttered from the rear, “but it’s mighty wet. My feet are sopping.” “Take ’em off and carry them,” answered Rob flippantly. “And you might carry the bundle for awhile, too, Mr. Jell. You haven’t had a go at it yet, have you?” “Hand it over,” said Jelly. Presently they came to a little slope and at the bottom of that found a stone wall. “Now what?” asked Evan. “Climb over it and keep going,” answered Malcolm doggedly. “We’ll have to get somewhere some time.” “So you say! Bet you we’re walking in a circle.” “But think of the exercise we’re getting, Evan,” said Rob. “And look at the lovely view! How beautiful are the distant hills in the sunset glow!” “Don’t talk hills to me,” grunted Evan, “or mountains either. I _would_ like to see a sunset glow, though,” he added. “Hello, what’s that?” Rob stopped and peered into the fog ahead. “A rock, you idiot,” said Malcolm. “It isn’t; it’s a cow! And there’s another. We’re probably away out West in the cattle country. I knew I’d walked a long distance!” “There are dozens of them,” said Jelly as they went on. “If there are cows there must be a house somewhere around.” “We’ll ask one of them,” said Rob. “Good-afternoon, Mrs. Cow, will you kindly tell me where――” “I don’t believe,” murmured Malcolm, “that I’d have much to say to that cow, Rob.” He pulled the other aside. “She happens to be a bull.” “Gee, that’s so! And I don’t think he likes us. Let us alter our course and steer around him. Nice bull, nice bull!” They were in the middle of the herd now. The cows stopped nibbling at the grass and viewed them with calm curiosity, some moving slowly away. The bull, however, which was a particularly large and active looking animal, displayed more interest. As they moved to the left he pawed the ground and then trotted ahead as though to intercept them. “I believe he’s going to speak to us,” murmured Rob. “Perhaps we’d better go back.”