FromTivertontowntothetownofOareisaverylongandpainfulroad，andingoodtruththetravellermustmakehisway，asthesayingis；forthewayisstillunmade，atleast，onthissideofDulverton，althoughthereislessdangernowthaninthetimeofmyschooling；fornowagoodhorsemaygotherewithoutmuchcostofleaping，butwhenIwasaboythespurswouldfail，whenneededmost，byreasonoftheslough-cake。Itistothecreditofthisage，andouradvanceuponfatherlyways，thatnowwehavelaiddownrodsandfagots，andevenstump-oakshereandthere，sothatamaningooddaylightneednotsink，ifhebequitesober。ThereisnothingIhavestrivenatmorethandoingmyduty，way-wardenoverExmoor。
Butinthosedays，whenIcamefromschoolandgoodtimestheywere，too，fullofawarmthandfinehearth-comfort，whichnowaredyingout，itwasasadandsorrybusinesstofindwherelaythehighway。Wearetakingnowtomarkitoffwithafenceoneitherside，atleast，whenatownishandy；buttomehisseemsofahighpretence，andasortoflandmark，andchannelforrobbers，thoughwellenoughnearLondon，wheretheyhaveearnedarace-course。
Weleftthetownofthetwofords，whichtheysayisthemeaningofit，veryearlyinthemorning，afterlyingonedaytorest，aswasdemandedbythenags，soreoffootandfoundered。Formypart，too，Iwasgladtorest，havingachesalloverme，andveryheavybruises；andwelodgedatthesignoftheWhiteHorseInn，inthestreetcalledGoldStreet，oppositewherethesoulsareofJohnandJoanGreenway，setupingoldletters，becausewemusttakethehomewardwayatcockcrowofthemorning。ThoughstillJohnFrywasdrywithmeofthereasonofhiscoming，andonlytoldliesaboutfather，andcouldnotkeepthemagreeable，I
hopedforthebest，asallboyswill，especiallyafteravictory。AndIthought，perhapsfatherhadsentformebecausehehadagoodharvest，andtheratswerebadinthecorn-chamber。
ItwashighnoonbeforeweweregottoDulvertonthatday，neartowhichtowntheriverExeanditsbigbrotherBarlehaveunion。Mymotherhadanunclelivingthere，butwewerenottovisithishousethistime，atwhichIwassomewhatastonished，sinceweneedsmuststopforatleasttwohours，tobaitourhorsesthoroughwell，beforecomingtotheblackbogway。Thebogsareverygoodinfrost，exceptwherethehot-springsrise；butasyettherehadbeennofrostthisyear，savejustenoughtomaketheblackbirdslookbiginthemorning。Inaheartyblack-frosttheylooksmall，untilthesnowfallsoverthem。