It was soft, affording difficult travel.

Slone crossed hundreds of deer tracks, and the trail he was on eventually became a deer runway.
Presently, far down one of the aisles between the great pines Slone saw what appeared to be a yellow cliff, far away.

It puzzled him.

And as he went on he received the impression that the forest dropped out of sight ahead.

Then the trees grew thicker, obstructing his view.