ched its source--many cold springs bubbling up from the center
of a little natural amphitheater in the hills and forming a clear and
beautiful pool overshadowed by trees upon one side and bounded by a
little clearing upon the other.

With the coming of the sun they saw they had stumbled upon a place
where they might remain hidden from the Wieroos for a long time and
also one that they could defend against these winged creatures, since
the trees would shield them from an attack from above and also hamper
the movements of the creatures should they attempt to follow them into
the wood.

For three days they rested here before trying to explore the
neighboring country. On the fourth, Bradley stated that he was going
to scale the bluffs and learn what lay beyond. He told the girl that
she should remain in hiding; but she refused to be left, saying that
whatever fate was to be his, she intended to share it, so that he was
at last forced to permit her to come with him. Through woods at the
summit of the bluff they made their way toward the north and had gone
but a short distance when the wood ended and before them they saw the
waters of the inland sea and dimly in the distance the coveted shore.

The beach lay some two hundred yards from the foot of the hill on which
they stood, nor was there a tree nor any other form of shelter between
them and the water as far up and down the coast as they could see.
Among other plans Bradley had thought of constructing a covered raft
upon which they might drift to the mainland; but as such a contrivance
would necessarily be of considerable weight, it must be built in the
water of the sea, since they could not hope to move it even a short
distance overland.

"If this wood was only at the edge of the water," he sighed.

"But it is not," the girl reminded him, and then: "Let us make the
best of it. We have escaped from death for a time at least. We have
food and good water and peace and each other. What more could we have
upon the mainland?"

"But I thought you wanted to get back to your own country!" he
exclaimed.

She cast her eyes upon the ground and half turned away. "I do," she
said, "yet I am happy here. I could be little happier there."

Bradley stood in silent thought. "`We have food and good water and
peace and each other!'" he repeated to himself. He turned then and
looked at the girl, and it was as though in the days that they had been
together this was the first