tart she sought out Miss Eleanor.

"I'm not really afraid, Wanaka," she said, using the Indian name, since,
here in the woods, it seemed natural to do it. "But I thought I ought to
ask you if you think it's all right for me to go off with Dolly? I
suppose none of those people who were trying to get hold of me would do
anything up here, would they?"

"Oh, I don't think so, Bessie. No, I think you're just as safe anywhere
in these woods as you would be right here in the camp. There are a few
guides around--they have to be kept here to warn people who make camp
and don't put out their fires properly. You see, my father and the rest
of the people don't mind letting nice people come here into their
preserve to camp, but they've got to be careful about fire.

"You can imagine what would happen here if the woods caught fire; it
would be dreadful. Further on, the woods are only just beginning to grow
up again. They were all burned out a year or so ago, and they look
horrid. This preserve is so beautiful that we all want to keep it
looking just as nice as possible. But the guides would look after you;
there's nothing to be afraid of with them.

"And I don't believe that you'd be at all likely to meet anyone else.
Suppose you take the trail that starts at the far end of the lake, and
follow it straight over until you come to Little Bear Lake. That's a
very pretty walk. But don't go off the preserve. There's a trail that
leads over to Loon Pond, but you'd better not try that until we all go
as a party."

So, when the midday meal had been eaten, Bessie and Dolly started off,
skirting the edge of the lake until they came to the beginning of the
trail Miss Mercer had spoken of, which was marked by a birch bark sign
on a tree. There they left the lake, and plunged so quickly into thick
woods that the water was soon out of sight.

"Isn't this lovely? Oh, I could walk miles and miles here and never get
tired at all, I believe!" said Dolly. "But I do sort of wish there was a
hotel somewhere around. They have dances, and parties, and all sorts of
fun at those hotels. And, Bessie, do you know I heard there was one near
here, at a place called Loon Pond?"

"Is there?"

"Yes; I think it would be fun to go there some time."

"Well, maybe we can, some time, Dolly. When Miss Eleanor is along. But
we'd better not do it today. You know she said we were to stick to the
preserve."

"Oh, bother; as if we could get into any mischief up he