There was not enough for good sledding, but just enough to make the going on wheels rather difficult.
Before noon, appetite asserted itself.

Fortunately the boys had brought along lunches for use on the road.

These were devoured with much relish, Joe Miller, of course, being invited to share with them.
By one o'clock the horses headed into the forest.

For the first mile or so there was a fair sort of road, but after that it dwindled down to something more like a trail.
"Isn't this grand, Joe ?" exclaimed Greg.
"What ?" demanded Joe.
"This great old forest, this silence, this grandeur of solitary nature ?" "It ought to do first rate for lunatics, and such like," answered Joe, gazing with disfavor at the bare trees and desolate looking bushes.
"What have you boys been doing that you've got to spend a fortnight away from comfortable livin' ?" "Why, we're doing this for pleasure," said Dan Dalzell.
"Humph!" muttered Joe, and there the matter rested.
It was nearly half past two when the horses were finally hauled up before the log cabin.

But now the truck was bare of boys.