“Well, they may take a cut there.  However, it doesn’t matter,” said Tom.

It was beginning to get dusk now, the September days being short.  There were about five miles of the run left when the four lads paused at a wayside farmhouse located at the fork of the highway to make sure they were on the right route to reach the river road.

“Yes, you kin git to it this way,” remarked a tall, lanky lad, who was hanging over the front gate, seemingly waiting for someone.  “There’s a bad hill, though.”

“Is there any other road to the river?” asked Tom.

“Yes, you kin cut through the woods, and it’s level all the way,” was the answer.  “I’d take that road.”

“But we don’t want a shorter way,” said Tom quickly.  “We’re doing a school endurance run,” he explained, “and we have to cover just so many miles.  We don’t want to cheat.”

“Oh, you won’t cheat,” chuckled the farm lad.  “If any thing it’s longer through them woods,” and he pointed to a patch of forest just ahead.  “There’s a wagon road through them trees, that comes out on the river road.  The only difference is that it cuts off the hill.”

“Then let’s take it!” suggested Jack.  “I hate hills, and it’s all right as long as we cover the distance.  There’s no more checking to be done until we hit the gym.  I say let’s take to the woods.”

“All right,” agreed Tom.  “Is the path a plain one?” he asked the lad.  “We don’t want to get lost.”

“Oh, yes, it’s plain enough.  A couple of other fellows passed here a while ago, and I told them about it.”

“Sam Heller, and Nick, I’ll wager!” exclaimed Bert.

“Sure,” assented Jack.  “Much obliged,” he called to the farm lad, as the four struck off toward the woods.

“Maybe you won’t be—­after a bit,” murmured the lad, as he turned away from the gate, a twinkle coming into his pig-like eyes.  “I earned that dollar easy enough—­jest directin’ ’em to the wood-road,” and he looked at a bill crumpled in his hand.  “I never made money any easier.  Them two fellers, jest ahead, who told me to direct the next bunch into the woods, must have lots of coin.  I guess it’ll be a while afore them four lads strike the river, goin’ through the woods,” and, chuckling, he went into the house, after a look at Tom and his chums.

“Say it’s going to be dark before we get back,” remarked George, when they were well within the woods.  “I wonder if we can see?”

“Sure,” asserted Tom.  “The trees are cut away at the top and it’s going to be moonlight a little later.  This is a good road, and, even if it’s longer than the other, we cut off a big hill.  We can explain how we came to take it, and it’s fair as long as we do the distance.”

“If we only get in on time,” murmured Bert.

“Oh, I guess we will,” said Jack.

Together they jogged on.  It became more and more dark, and, as the wood road was not in the best of condition, they stumbled over roots and tree branches.  But, as Tom said, it was light enough to see their way fairly well.