THE TURKEY DRIVE 19 



by. They were not the kind to let their turkeys go 

 to roost before sundown. It was a slow and solemn 

 procession that moved through the woods, but it 

 moved toward a goal that they had set for that 

 day's travel. 



All day, at long intervals, as they had pushed 

 along the deep forest road, the muffled rumble of 

 distant trains had come to them through the silence ; 

 and now, although neither of them had mentioned it, 

 they were determined to get out somewhere near the 

 tracks before the night and the storm should settle 

 down upon them. Their road, hardly more here than 

 a wide trail, must cross the railroad tracks, as they 

 remembered it, not more than two or three miles 

 ahead. 



Leaving more and more of the desolate forest be- 

 hind them with every step, they plodded doggedly 

 on. But there was so much of the same desolate 

 forest still before them! Yet yonder, and not far 

 away, was the narrow path of the iron track through 

 the interminable waste ; something human the 

 very sight of it enough to warm and cheer them. 

 They would camp to-night where they could see a 

 train go by. 



The leaden sky lowered closer upon them. The 

 storm had not yet got under full headway, but the 

 fine icy flakes were flying faster, slanting farther, and 

 the wind was beginning to drone through the trees. 



Without a halt, the flock moved on through the 



