ked as
quickly as before but she was not quite so alert. Also, she kept
turning her head suddenly from side to side with a gesture of an
inquisitive bird, a little uncertain which way to fly.

"You do know the way, don't you, Dotty?"

"'Course I do, Doll, don't be silly."

"How do you know it?"

"Just by instinct. I've been around these woods so much, I just kind of
know the way home, even if I can't see out. Don't you see this kind of a
trail? We just follow this and it brings us out right by our own camp."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! What's the matter with you, Dolly?"

"Nothing; only it seems as if we'd walked as far since we've started for
home as we did when we were going."

"So we have, nearly. Just a little farther now and we come into that
clump of beech woods, don't you know? Where there aren't any birch
trees, hardly."

"Yes, I know where you mean; but this doesn't look like it."

"'Cause we haven't got there yet, that's why. You wouldn't think birch
bark would be so heavy; would you?"

"I don't mind it. Here give me one of your bundles; I'd just as lieve
carry it as not. Give me the one out of your left wing. I know that one
must be tired."

"'Deed I won't. You've got enough to carry. I'll throw my left hand
bundle away before I let you lug it."

"Oh, don't throw it away! It's a shame, after we've taken such trouble
to gather it. Do let me carry it, Dotty."

"No, sir, I won't do it! I don't mind it, anyway. Come on, Doll, let's
hurry a little. Don't you think it's getting sort of dark?"

"Not dark, exactly, but dusky here under the trees."

"It isn't dusk, Dolly, it's dark! I mean, it's after sunset, and the
real dark will settle down on us in a few minutes. I know more about
these woods than you do, and I know we want to get along faster. We
mustn't be in here when it gets really dark."

"But you said you knew the way, Dot," and Dolly's tone was anxious.

"I do, most always, but if we'd been on the right track we ought to have
been out of the woods before this. I must have got turned around
somehow."

Dotty stopped still and turned a despairing face toward Dolly.

"Good gracious, Dot, you don't mean we're lost!"

"I hope not that, but honest, I don't know which way to go."

"Why not go straight on?"

"I'm not sure, but I think that leads us deeper into the woods."

"Why, Dorothy Rose! You _said_ that was the way home!"

"I know I did, and I thought it was; but don't you