ght of the early dawn.

Mr. Archibald had thought of leaving a note for Matlack, but his wife had
dissuaded him. She was afraid that the wrong person might get hold of it.

"When we are safely at Sadler's," she said, "we can send for our bags,
with a note to Matlack. It will not matter then who knows." She had a firm
belief in the power of the burly keeper of the inn to prevent trouble on
his premises.

With careful but rapid steps the little party passed along the open
portion of the camp, keeping as far as possible from the tent wherein
reposed Corona and Mrs. Perkenpine, and soon reached the entrance of the
wood road. Here it was not quite so light as in the open, but still they
could make their way without much trouble, and after a few minutes'
walking they felt perfectly safe from observation, and slackening their
pace, they sauntered along at their ease.

The experience was a novel one to all of them; even Mr. Archibald had
never been in the woods so early in the morning. In fact, under these
great trees it could scarcely be said to be morning. The young light which
made its uncertain way through the foliage was barely strong enough to
cast a shadow, and although these woodland wanderers knew that it was a
roadway in which they were walking, that great trees stood on each side of
them, with branches reaching out over their heads, and that there were
bushes and vines and here and there a moss-covered rock or a fallen tree,
they saw these things not clearly and distinctly, but as through a veil.
But there was nothing uncertain about the air they breathed; full of the
moist aroma of the woods, it was altogether different from the noonday
odors of the forest.

Stronger and stronger grew the morning light, and more and more clearly
perceptible became the greens, the browns, and the grays about them. Now
the birds began to chatter and chirp, and squirrels ran along the branches
of the trees, while a young rabbit bounced out from some bushes and went
bounding along the road. This early morning life was something they had
not seen in their camp, for it was all over before they began their day.
There was a spring by the roadside, which they had noticed when they had
come that way before, and when they reached it they sat down and ate some
biscuit which Mrs. Archibald had brought with her, and drank cool water
from Mr. Archibald's folding pocket-cup.

The loveliness of the scene, the novelty of the experience, the feel