atter and held a direct course, he must sooner or later
reach the road named, where he would be sure soon to receive hospitality.

No doubt you know from experience how hard it is to hold a straight
course when going through a wilderness, without landmarks to guide you
and ignorant also of the "signs" which are as plain as print to the
veteran hunter. The fog inclosed Mike on every hand, but his activity
imparted a pleasant warmth to his frame, which otherwise would not have
been felt, even though it was summer time.

He zigzagged sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left, but, on
the whole, held substantially to the right direction and gradually drew
near the dusty avenue which, once reached, would bring the end of his
discomforts. Good fortune stayed with him, for when he was beginning to
feel somewhat discouraged with his failure to free himself from the
dripping woods, he abruptly came upon a clearing, in the midst of which
stood a small house, surrounded by a well-tilled garden and several
smaller buildings. Chickens were scratching and picking at the earth, and
a big dog, fortunately restrained by a chain, scrambled out of his kennel
at sight of the stranger and barked and tugged to get at him.

Between him and Mike stretched a clothesline supported at intervals by
leaning props, and despite the fact that the humidity in the air must
have been close to ninety-nine degrees, a corpulent woman was hanging out
clothes. Two or three wooden pins were in her mouth, and every now and
then she reached up with one hand and squeezed the little conveniences
over the cord which supported the flapping clothes. She wore no bonnet or
hat, and the untied shoes evidently were an old pair belonging to her
husband.

Hearing the dog bark, she looked around to learn the cause. She saw a
freckle-faced youth in the act of doffing his cap and bowing.

"The top of the morning to yer ladyship, and would ye be willing to hang
me across yer line till me clothes be dried?"

The woman snatched the pins from between her teeth and stared at him. Her
face was broad, homely and good-natured.

"G'way now," she answered; "I don't hang up any clothes till the same is
_claan_. It will take a waak's washing to rinder ye fit. If I straddle ye
over the line wid yer faat and rid head hanging down and bumping
togither, ye'll cut a purty figger a-flapping in the wind."

Mike's laughter rang out. She was Irish like him and his heart warmed to
h