The woods adjoining Mason’s meadow, owned by the same man, were dense and dark. Tall pines and other evergreen trees made the forest dark on even a bright, sunny day. The woods were not on level ground, as was the grassy plain. Part of the patch where the trees and brush grew was level enough. But beyond that area the woods sloped down quite a hill and a section of the woodlot lay in a deep ravine or gully. “It’s a good distance down there and a good distance back,” remarked Teddy as he and his chums reached the edge of the ravine and looked into it as far as their sight could penetrate through the gloom. “We can make it,” declared Joe. “I’ve often gone down steeper places than this when I was out scouting.” “It isn’t going down that counts,” said Dick with a sigh. “It’s the climb up that’s hard work.” “It’ll work off some of your fat!” chuckled Joe, taking care to be beyond the range of Dick’s fists. “Oh, is that so?” snapped the stout lad. “Well, I’ll show you two I’m as good a gully climber as either of you. But are you sure your plane came in here, Teddy?” “Quite sure, yes. I marked it by that lightning-struck oak tree on the edge of the wood. The plane went in right there.” “Do you think it could go far, with all these trees to dodge?” Dick asked. “I mean wouldn’t it crack-up against one of ’em?” “It might,” Teddy agreed. “But if my good luck holds, it might just buzz in and out among the trees. Then it would come down in the gully. I think the motor would be about run down if the plane got this far,” he said. He came to a stop in a little glade on the edge of the ravine. The ground was covered with a soft carpet of pine needles. “Makes a good landing field,” commented Joe as he brushed a pile of needles together with a motion of his foot. “Just like coming down on a spring bed,” declared Dick. He threw himself on the ground with a soft thud. “Well, let’s have a look around,” suggested Joe. “If your plane is here, Teddy, it ought to be easy to spot it with the white wings and fusilage.” “Yes, it’ll show up well against all this darkness,” agreed Dick. “Now let’s spread out a bit and look.” “Take it easy going down into the gully,” advised Teddy. “If any of us slip we might get a bad fall.” Foot by foot the boys advanced deeper into the woods. Darkness slowly hemmed them in. The trees were thicker now. The boys looked down into the ravine at the foot of which raced a murmuring stream. Suddenly Dick clutched Teddy’s arm and exclaimed: “There! Isn’t that your plane? That white thing?” “Where?” asked Teddy. “Right near that big rock. Look! Sure! That’s your plane!” “By golly! So it is!” cried Teddy in delight, “I’ve found it and not far down in the gully, either. Hurray!” He started toward the toy plane. But before he and the boys who were following him could reach it, they were startled by a loud snorting noise.