mlock-tree, her pretty face pale, and her sweet blue eyes strained
with terror.

"O, Hannah!" "O, Ann!"

"How did you ever get here, Hannah?"

"I--started for aunt Sarah's--that morning," explained Hannah, between
sobs. "And--I got frightened in the woods, about a mile from father's.
I saw something ahead I thought was a bear. A great black thing! Then
I ran--and, somehow, the first thing I knew, I was lost. I walked and
walked, and it seems to me I kept coming right back to the same place.
Finally I sat down here, and staid; I thought it was all the way for
me to be found."

"O, Hannah! what did you do last night?"

"I staid somewhere, under some pine-trees," replied Hannah, with a
shudder; "and I kept hearing things--O, Ann!"

Ann hugged her sympathizingly. "I guess I wouldn't have slept much if
I had known," said she. "O, Hannah, you haven't had anything to eat!
ain't you starved?"

Hannah laughed faintly. "I ate up two whole pumpkin pies I was
carrying to aunt Sarah," said she. "Oh! how lucky it was you had
them." "Yes; mother called me back to get them, after I started. They
were some new ones, made with cream, and she thought aunt Sarah would
like them."

Pretty soon they started. It was hard work, for the way was very
rough, and poor Hannah weak. But Ann had a good deal of strength in
her lithe young frame, and she half-carried Hannah over the worst
places. Still both of the girls were pretty well spent when they came
to the last of the bits of wool on the border of Bear Swamp. However,
they kept on a little farther; then they had to stop and rest. "I know
where I am now," said Hannah, with a sigh of delight; "but I don't
think I can walk another step." She was, in fact, almost exhausted.

Ann looked at her thoughtfully. She hardly knew what to do. She could
not carry Hannah herself--indeed, her own strength began to fail; and
she did not want to leave her to go for assistance.

All of a sudden, she jumped up. "You stay just where you are a few
minutes, Hannah," said she. "I'm going somewhere. I'll be back soon."
Ann was laughing.

Hannah looked up at her pitifully: "O Ann, don't go!"

"I'm coming right back, and it is the only way. You must get home.
Only think how your father and mother are worrying!"

Hannah said no more after that mention of her parents, and Ann
started.

[Illustration: "A CONVEYANCE IS FOUND."]

She was not gone long. When she came in sight she was laughing, and
Hannah,