ined at the place of their bivouack more than
an hour. At the end of that time, having eaten all that they had cooked,
they began to think of resuming their journey. Marco was sitting upon
the stone, wishing that he had put down one more potato to roast, when
suddenly he perceived a large grey squirrel upon a log near him. The
squirrel ran along the log, and Marco immediately rose and went in
pursuit of him.

The squirrel ascended a tree, running up the stem. Then he glided along
one of the branches till he came to the end of it, when he leaped
through the air and caught the end of another branch, which was growing
from another tree. This branch, which was very slender, bent down half
way to the ground under the squirrel's weight. Bunny ran up the branch,
however, as easily as if it remained level. Thus he went along from tree
to tree, following, generally, the direction of the path by which Marco
had descended in coming from the wagon.

At length he emerged from the wood, just at the point where Marco had
fastened the horse. But all farther pursuit of him, on the part of
Marco, was suddenly arrested by the astounding fact, which here burst
suddenly upon Marco, that the horse and wagon were gone. Marco looked
all about, this way and that, to assure himself that it was the very
same place where he had fastened the horse. There could be no doubt of
it. There was the very tree to which he had tied him, and the marks of
his feet, near it, upon the ground.

Marco was in consternation. He looked all around, and then ran into the
road and looked both ways, but no signs of the horse were to be seen. He
then hurried back to the edge of the woods and called out in a loud
voice:

"Cousin Forester! Isaiah! cousin Forester! our horse has got away."

Isaiah sprang from the seat and ran, quicker than the squirrel had done,
up the path. As he came out to the place where Marco was standing, Marco
began to say, "There's where I tied him. I fastened him strong to that
tree." But Isaiah paid no attention to what he said, but ran directly to
the road. He did not stop to look both ways, but taking the road which
led towards his home, he ran along as fast as he could go. Marco
followed him as far as into the road, and looked after him as long as he
could see him. Isaiah was, however, soon out of sight, and Marco went
back to find Forester. Forester was coming up the path very leisurely,
bringing the bag, with the remaining provisions in