id; 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.

"O 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.

She was not gone long. When she came in sight she was laughing, and
Hannah, weak as she was, laughed, too. Ann had torn her blue apron
into strips, and tied it together for a rope, and by it she was
leading a red cow.

Hannah knew the cow, and knew at once what the plan was.

"O Ann! you mean for me to ride Betty!"

"Of course I do. I just happened to think our cows were in the
pasture, down below here. And we've ridden Betty, lots of times, when
we were children, and she's just as gentle now. Whoa, Betty, good
cow."

It was very hard work to get Hannah on to the broad back of her novel
steed, but it was finally accomplished. Betty had