Once they saw a farmhouse set back in the woods, and they were in fear lest dogs come out and bark alarm, but there was no sound and they soon left it far behind.
They passed many streams, some of which were up to their saddle girths, and then they entered a road which was often so deep in mud that they were compelled to turn into the woods on the side.

But no human being had interfered with their journey, and their hopes rose to the zenith.
They came, finally, into an open region of cotton fields, and the sergeant now began to watch closely for the great trail they hoped to find.

A force as large as Grierson's would not attempt a passage through the woods, but would seek some broad road and Sergeant Whitley expected to find it long before morning.
It was now an hour after midnight and they reckoned that they had come about the right distance.

There was a good moon and plenty of stars and the sergeant gave himself only a half-hour to find the trail.
"There's bound to be a wide road somewhere among these fields, the kind we call a county road." "It's over there beyond that rail fence," said Dick.

They urged their horses into a trot, and soon found that Dick was right.