His heart swelled with pride and pleasure and he walked with a light springy step and with endurance equal to that of any of the men before him.

He looked over his shoulder at Paul, whose face also was touched with enthusiasm.
"Aren't you glad to be along ?" he asked in a whisper.
"Glad as I can be," replied Paul in the same whisper.
Up shot the sun showering golden beams of light upon the forest.

The air grew warmer, but the little band did not cease its rapid pace northward until noon.

Then at a word from Ross all halted at a beautiful glade, across which ran a little brook of cold water.

The horses were tethered at the edge of the forest, but were allowed to graze on the young grass which was already beginning to appear, while the men lighted a small fire of last year's fallen brushwood, at the center of the glade on the bank of the brook.
"We won't build it high," said Ross, who was captain as well as guide, "an' then nobody in the forest can see it.