n.

He could not leave her there in the open pine woods, that was sure, and
since there could be no immediate way of learning the present abode of
the mysterious man, the only thing left for Phil to do was to take the
little girl to camp with him.

In due time no doubt the father was sure to turn up there to claim the
child. They would try to convince him that it was none of their business
what made him hide away from his fellows as he was doing.

So Phil made up his mind.

He had by this time managed to distract the child's thoughts from her
troubles. Indeed, this was no difficult task for Phil Bradley. Already
she had laughed at something he had said. When Phil heard what a sweet
laugh that was he immediately told himself:

"I warrant that there's a man chasing wild through the woods right now,
trying to find this little sunbeam. I know I'd be, if I missed a merry
laugh like that at my fireside."

"My name is Phil," he told her, "and won't you tell me yours?"

"Why, it's Mazie," she quickly answered.

"Mazie what?" he continued.

"No, just only Mazie," the little girl told him positively.

Phil was baffled, for he had hoped to learn "daddy's" name. He did not
attempt anything further along that line.

"Now, Mazie," he went on to say, "you'll come with me, won't you? You
must be hungry, and want some lunch. We'll find daddy pretty soon, you
know, and you wouldn't want to stay out here in the woods all by
yourself?"

She looked alarmed at the mere suggestion of such a thing. It pleased
the boy to notice how eagerly she seized his outstretched hand, to which
she clung confidingly.

"Oh! no, 'cause I'm afraid. I saw a bear, a big bear once. Daddy shooed
it away from our house. And oh! it whiffed and whiffed just awful.
Please take me with you--Phil."

"Just what I'll do, Mazie. You see I have three friends, all boys who
will be glad to see you. And when daddy comes he can take you back
home."

"Home!"

The child repeated the word after him. There was a bewildered look on
her face. Phil judged from this that some memory was awakening.

"Home--daddy--muzzer!" he heard her say almost in a whisper.

"Oh! you didn't tell me that your mother was up here, too; is she with
daddy, Mazie?" Phil asked her, as they walked slowly along.

She looked up. The wistful glow in her eyes gave the boy a strange
feeling.

"Oh! no. Muzzer gone far away. She never come to her little girl now,"
he heard her say; and som