trammelled with harness and a heavy load.

They bridged them by laying down logs cut to even lengths in a slightly
slanting position across the way for the entire extent of miry ground.
Each piece of timber was tightly wedged in by its fellow; nevertheless,
there was a space of several inches between their rounded tops. Hence
the track presented a striped appearance, which suggested to some
spirited genius among woodsmen its name of "corduroy road."

"Well, Neal, do you think you can tell your folks a thing or two about
forest travelling when you get back to England?" asked Doc, when the
order of march was changed, young Farrar and the Sinclairs turning out
to do their share of tramping, while the doctor, Cyrus, and the guides
benefited by "a lift."

"I rather think I can," answered Neal; "but goodness! I feel as if there
were aches and bruises all over me. Once or twice my head seemed jumping
straight off my shoulders. No more going in a wagon over corduroy roads
for me! I'd rather be leg-weary any day."

The travellers halted that evening about five o'clock on the banks of a
lonely stream. The guides pitched the two tents--Joe had provided one
for his party--facing each other on a patch of clearing, with a space of
about fifteen feet between them, in the centre of which blazed a roaring
camp-fire. Now all the axes and knifes among the band were in demand for
cutting and sharpening stakes and ridge-poles on which to stretch their
canvas.

Moreover, no evergreen boughs could be procured for beds; and the boys
had to work with a will, helping Uncle Eb and Joe to cut bundles of the