Pee-wee just trudged on. Pretty soon he said, “As long as you’re all so tired, maybe I can find—I think I know a short cut.” “Take us the way the raven flies,” I said; “the shorter the quicker.” “I can see a road over there through the trees,” he said. “That goes into the turnpike. It’ll be easier walking on the road.” “As long as you know you’re going the right way,” I said. _“Sure_ I’m going the right way,” he said; “what’s the use of getting scared. We’ll be home in twenty minutes.” “That’ll be nice,” Garry said. “Won’t I be glad!” said Bert. “Just you follow me,” Pee-wee said. “We’re following,” I told him. “We’re following our leader wherever he goes. We know the animal cracker knows the woods. Have another apple?” Next he left the tracks and cut over to the left where we could see a road through the trees. He hit into the road and hiked along. “Sure you’re right?” Bert asked him. “Do you think I don’t know the way?” the kid said, very disgusted. “Don’t start to ask questions, or hint, or propose,” I said. Pretty soon he came to a crossroad and _g-o-o-d night magnolia!_ Right there, staring us in the face was the fickle signboard that I had turned around. Oh boy, you should have seen Pee-wee. The apple he was eating fell out of his hand and he just stood there staring. He couldn’t even speak. “Don’t ask where you’re headed for nobody knows,” Hervey said. I said, “Have no fear, our gallant leader is with us. Raving ravens do not get rattled. Trust to Scout Harris. He knows the way. Follow your leader.” Maybe that signboard had been a pinwheel, but there it was at the very same spot where it had been before. Warde said, “That’s one good thing about scouts, they always come back.” I said, “Pee-wee led us the right way, only in the wrong direction.” “Just as you said,” Garry put in, “the turnpike has disappeared. That’s why I never liked turnpikes, they’re so fickle.” “There’s something wrong here!” the kid shouted. “Sure,” I said, “it isn’t your fault, it’s the turnpike’s.” “I started in the right direction,” Pee-wee shouted, “and I kept going in the right direction, you can’t deny it. I’d like to know how we got here?” “That’s what _I’d_ like to know,” I said. “I suppose we just walked here,” Bert said; “we followed our leader.” Hervey started singing: The turnpike turned round And the trail it got bent, We followed our leader wherever he went. “Anyway, I’m sure I started in the right direction,” the kid said; “I don’t care what anybody says.” I said, “Sure, if the right direction changes its mind that isn’t your fault. Come on, let’s go back. It’s long past dinner-time.” “Let Warde be leader,” Hervey said; “he’s the only one here who has any sense.” So we started following Warde back along the trail till we came to the railroad tracks and along those to the little iron ore car.