"Are you going to leave the sled here?" said Josey.

"Yes," said Jonas, "we can come and get it after the storm is over."

The oxen drew the sleigh along very easily. The snow was quite deep for
a little distance, and then it became less so; but it was very dark, and
it was difficult for Jonas to follow his track. The snow blew across it
with great violence, and was fast filling it up.

However, Jonas soon came to his first rafter, and this encouraged him.
It was a good deal covered with snow, but the end was out, and the
direction of it showed him which way to go, in order to find the next
one. After he had passed this guide, the path was no more to be
distinguished. He went on, however, as nearly as he could in the
direction indicated by the rafter; and, after going the proper distance,
he began to look out before him for the second. He began to be a little
anxious lest he had missed it, when he observed something dark in the
snow, at a little distance on the right. He went to it, and found that
it was the rafter.

Thus he was upon his track again; but his having so narrowly escaped
missing it, made him afraid that he should not be able to follow the
train very far. His fears proved well grounded. All his efforts to
discover the third rafter were entirely unavailing.

"'Tis of no consequence," said Jonas; "we can't be far from the shore.
I'll keep straight on, and we shall strike the land somewhere, not far
from the house."