in the middle of it and no sign of a bridge anywhere in sight. There was nothing to do but follow the stream in the general direction of Wharton until they could reach t

o wade it,"

hes soaking wet. Amy grumblingly agreed to give the stream another chance to behave itself. By that time they had been walking fully fif

e were on the other side now. The best thing for us to d

k westward again toward a stone wall, climbed it and found themselves in a patch of woods. They kept along the stone wall, dodging in and out through the trees, and ascending a hill. Presently it dawned on Clint that the stone wall, like the brook, was having fun with them. For, instead of running straight, as one would expect any decent stone wall to run, it was bending all the time to the west. Clint knew it was the west

the frantic clutches of a blackberry vine

ced, "I've got som

e aw

re l

n minutes ago,"

s me. Now that I know I shall never see school and Josh again I feel better." Amy looked about him apprais

Come on and let's get out of here. If I've got to be los

must walk until we drop. Then we cover ourselves with leaves,

that?" a

Don't tell me yo

emed to come from over that way, and that f

n't. He said his old car would go, and it didn't. He said we could cross that field, and it didn't--I mean we could

well, but which

all, it doesn't matter which way you walk when you're lost. You always walk in circles. W

ome on. It'll be dark first thing w

," murmured Amy. "I shall search for

hey found themselves in another wood. Clint lean

a joke, Amy. We're just

be somewhere around here. When you think of it it's mighty funny. There we were with a perfectly good road on on

it was and that the road turned to the left again after we got off it. One thing is certain, and that is th

r a nice comfortable place to drop. Say, we won't get a

off with hard looks, I rec

a fallen branch and measured his length and once Amy ran head-on into a sapling and declared irately, as he rubbed his nose, that he would come

asked Clint fr

nty minutes, at least, and we haven't found a way out yet. Which w

k," answered C

ell you what we'll do, we'll take sho

about ready to give up when a patch of grey showed ahead and they made toward it to find themselves at the edge of the wood on a little hill. Below them spread uncertainly a bare field.

so funny," he gr

This is Saturday, you know, and we always have col

the joke comes in

o eat the lamb, do I

--cold dog! Come on. We might as well

" He arose with a groan and followed Clint down the slope. There were more briers, and now and then they stumbled over outcrop

id Clint, "it would help some.

t get through the clouds. It fe

hts," Clint grumbled. "I wonder if

ppose we give the Br

ed, Amy. Come on, now. Yell a

What am I

elp!' yo

together in a loud appealing shout. Then

ed and again they listened. Deep silence,

ess," said Cli

I can't go on walking all night, Clint. I'm dog-tired and my left leg's got a cramp

find a place where there's more shelter than there is here

nty or thirty years from now, when we'll be able to look back on this night's jolly adventures

!" grunted Clint.

d. That is, Clint stopped and

n't got a match, ha

fine little suppo

e moved forward a step or two and felt around in the darkness. "It feels like a

it," said Amy. "Le

go around that, since there was no room to squeeze past it. Then the hut, for it was evidently

nside," said Cli

ested Amy, non

Would yo

would.

stretched warily ahead. There was a sudden scurrying sound f

a rat," wh

oken box. Clint discovered the box by falling over it with a noise that sent Amy a foot off the ground. When all was said the advantages presented by the hut were few. It did protect them from the little chill breeze that stirred and it put a roof over their heads, although, as Clint said, if it rained before morning they'd probably find the roof of little account. On the other hand, it was damper th

uttered, "t

d Clint with a pathetic effort

ess it's on the floor. Anyway, t

anything if y

eat a kitchen range. Clint, did I cast

aid the oth

er of cold lamb would--would--Oh, say, I could love it to

"I see you're not," he murmured. "Well--" He pushed himse

not there, but I doubt if either of them once really fully awoke until a s

t so softly that the boys c