. Wit bought; or, The life and adventures of Robert Merry . 02 WIT BOUGHT. CHAPTEB IX. OUR RETURN—THE WOODS — THE VOYAGE ON THE RIVER. MAT OLMSTED and myself had to find ourway back to Salem on foot, for there were nostages, canal-boats, or railroads then. I didnot myself dislike the plan, for I was fond ofa tramp, especially with so cheerful a com-panion as Matthew. We had each provided ourselves with abear-skin, which was rolled up and strappedupon the shoulder. Matthew had also atinder-box, with flint and steel. These pre-cautions were necessary, as it was likely thatwe might occasionally b
. Wit bought; or, The life and adventures of Robert Merry . 02 WIT BOUGHT. CHAPTEB IX. OUR RETURN—THE WOODS — THE VOYAGE ON THE RIVER. MAT OLMSTED and myself had to find ourway back to Salem on foot, for there were nostages, canal-boats, or railroads then. I didnot myself dislike the plan, for I was fond ofa tramp, especially with so cheerful a com-panion as Matthew. We had each provided ourselves with abear-skin, which was rolled up and strappedupon the shoulder. Matthew had also atinder-box, with flint and steel. These pre-cautions were necessary, as it was likely thatwe might occasionally be obliged to find ourlodgings in the forest. It was a bright morning in the latter partof November, when we departed, and thecheerfulness of the weather found its way toour bosoms. I was so night of heart ashardly to feel the ground uj-on which I trod THE WOODPECKERS. 103 We marched rapidly on, and in a few hourswere several miles from the town, and wind-ing along the devious road that led throughthe tall forest. Although the leaves were stripped from. most of the trees, and the flowers were sleep-ing in their tombs—though the birds hadfled, and their happy minstrelsy was heardno more, still there were signs of cheerfulnessaround us. The little woodpeckers werecreeping up and down the hoary oaks, seek- 104 WIT BOUGHT. ing for the worms that had taken winterquarters in the bark Small flocks of wild turkeys frequentlycrossed our path ; the partridges were callingtheir mates by flapping their wings uponsome rotton log, thus producing a soundlike the roll of a distant drum ; the black and
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