It was about twenty miles, and I only sixteen years old.

I was really sorry after I had started, but was not the boy to back out.

It took me till nearly morning to get there, tramping through the woods half of the way; every noise I heard I thought was a bear or something that would kill me, and the frightful notes of the whippoorwill made my hair stand on end.

The dogs were after me at every house I passed.

I have never forgotten that night.