They went on as before, and in quarter of an hour came to another clearing, long and narrow, and not far from the bank of the stream, which seemed to wind in and out through the forest. Here they got a fairly good look at the turnout ahead of them. "It is our outfit, sure enough!" declared Si. "Yes, and the driver is licking old Darling hard," added Maybe Dixon. "They are bound to git away with the turnout if they can!" CHAPTER XV A SNAKE, A DEER, AND A SURPRISE Let us now return to Bob and Mark at the time they found themselves lost in the mighty forest. For several minutes the two youths stared around them in great perplexity, not knowing what to do next. "This is a fine state of affairs, I must say," groaned Mark, presently. "Bob, we are worse than a couple of children." "It's like bein' at sea without a compass," declared the former sailor lad. "We don't know in what direction to steer to make port." "Well, one thing is certain, we can't stay here all day." "We can if we have to." "Don't you want to make a move?" "I don't want to get tangled up any worse than I am now. I've got an idea," went on Bob, suddenly. "What is it?" "I'll climb one of the big trees around here and take a look as to how the land lays." "Good enough! We were a pair of geese not to think of that before. I can go up with you." But when it came to climbing, Mark decided to let the former sailor boy go it alone. He gave Bob a boost and up went the lad in true nautical style with hardly an effort. "You can climb, that's sure," said Mark, admiringly. "Always could," answered Bob from above. "Went clear up to the masthead before I was on my first ship a week." "Didn't it make you dizzy?" "Not in the least." Mark remained at the foot of the tree, while Bob mounted higher and higher. Presently the former sailor lad called down that he had reached the top and could get a good look on all sides. "I can see the river, as plain as day," he said. "It is about a mile from here. And I can see some turnouts further off." "Good enough! Let us walk to the river, and then follow it until we reach the fording place." Bob came down to the ground again, and they set off through the forest once more, taking great care that they should not become turned around again. "I have heard of people being lost in the woods, and I don't wonder at it now," observed Mark. "It is the easiest thing in the world to go astray." As they journeyed along they stirred up some small game, but before they could take aim the game got out of sight. "That shows we are not used to gunning," said Bob, with a laugh. "A regular hunter is on the watch all the time." They were still some distance from the river when Bob, who was slightly in advance, let out a yell which would have done credit to a wild Indian: "A snake!" "Where?" queried his companion. "Right ahead of us."