"But," he added, with a Californian's reverence for the sanctity of a bet, "I reckon you'd better make it a stand-off for twenty-four hours, and I'll find out and let you know." Which, it is only fair to say, he honestly intended to do.
With a hurried nod of parting, he continued in the direction of the Woods.

When he had satisfied himself that the strangers had entered the settlement, and would not follow him for further explanation, he quickened his pace.

In half an hour he passed between two of the gigantic sentinels that guarded the entrance to a trail.

Here he paused to collect his thoughts.

The Woods were vast in extent, the trail dim and uncertain--at times apparently breaking off, or intersecting another trail as faint as itself.