Part 16 (1/2)

What at first seemed to be fun, soon turned out to be a serious matter; for the boys really could not find their way home. Each, in turn, thought he had the right way, but soon found he was mistaken.

”Well, I'll give up!” said Hal. ”To think we could be lost like three babies!”

”Only worse,” added Harry, ”for little fellows would cry and someone might help them.”

”Oh! oh! oh! oh! we're lost! We're the babes in the woods!” shouted Bert at the top of his voice, joking, yet a little in earnest.

”Let's build a fire,” suggested Harry. ”That's the way the Indians used to do. When our comrades see the smoke of the fire they will come and rescue us.”

The other boys agreed to follow the chief's direction. So they set to work. It took some time to get wood together, and to start the fire, but when it was finally lighted, they sat around it and wasted a lot of time. It would have been better had they tried to get out of the woods, for as they waited, it grew darker.

”I wouldn't mind staying here all night,” drawled Harry, stretching himself out on the dry leaves alongside the fire.

”Well, I'd like supper first,” put in Hal. ”We were to have roast duck to-night,” and he smacked his lips.

”What was that!” Harry exclaimed, jumping up.

”A bell, I thought,” whispered Hal, quite frightened.

”Indians!” added Bert. ”Oh, take me home!” he wailed, and while he tried to laugh, it was a failure, for he really felt more like crying.

”There it is again. A cow bell!” declared Harry, who could not be mistaken on bells.

”Let's find the cow and maybe she will then find us,” he suggested, starting off in the direction that the ”tink-tink-tink-tink” came from.

”Here she is!” he called, the next moment, as he walked up to a pretty little cow with the bell on her neck. ”Now, where do you belong?”

Harry asked the cow. ”Do you know where the Cliffs are, and how we can get home?”

The cow was evidently hungry for her supper, and bellowed loud and long. Then she rubbed her head against Harry's sleeve, and started to walk through the dark woods.

”If we follow her she will take us out, all right,” said Harry, and so the three boys willingly started off after the cow.

Just as Harry had said, she made her way to a path, then the rest of the way was clear.

”Hurrah!” shouted Hal, ”I smell supper already,” and now, at the end of the path, an opening in the trees showed a few scattered houses.

”Why, we are away outside of Berkley,” went on Hal. ”Now, we will have a long tramp home, but I'm glad even at that, for a night under the trees was not a pleasant prospect.”

”We must take this cow home first,” said Harry, with a farmer's instinct. ”Where do you suppose she belongs?”

”We might try that house first,” suggested Bert, pointing to a cottage with a small barn, a little way from the wood.

”Come, Cush,” said Harry, to the strange cow, and the animal obediently walked along.

There was no need to make inquiries, for outside of the house a little woman met them.

”Oh, you've found her!” she began. ”Well, my husband was just going to the pound, for that old miser of a pound master takes a cow in every chance he gets, just for the fine. Come, Daisy, you're hungry,”

and she patted the cow affectionately. ”Now, young men, I'm obliged to you, and you have saved a poor man a day's pay, for that is just what the fine would be. If you will accept a pail of milk each, I have the cans, and would be glad to give you each a quart. You might have berries for dinner,” she finished.