the right track or not. But keep your mind on the goal, and look
toward it--if convenient. Of course, the looking toward it is no
help to me, save as it serves to fix your mind more firmly on the
matter."

And then Hanlon seemed to go more carefully. He stepped slowly,
feeling with his foot for any curbstone, grating or irregularity
in the pavement. And yet he failed in one instance to feel the
edge of an open coalhole, and his right leg slipped down into it.

Some of the nearby watchers grabbed him, and pulled him back
without his sustaining injury, for which he thanked them briefly
and continued.

Several times some sceptical bystanders put themselves
deliberately in front of the blindfolded man, to see if he would
turn out for them.

On the contrary, Hanlon bumped into them, so innocently, that
they were nearly thrown down.

He smiled good-naturedly, and said, "All right, fellows; I don't
mind, if you don't. And I don't blame you for wanting to make
sure that I'm not playing 'possum!"

Of course, Hanlon carried no light cane, such as blind men use,
to tap on the stones, so he helped himself by feeling the way
along shop windows and area gates, judging thus, when he was
nearing a cross street, and sometimes hesitating whether to cross
or turn the corner.