ls rise
above the trees, side by side, until they dispersed in the blue ether
far overhead. But no sound came in answer to the signals.

"Maybe no one remembered the smoke idea," ventured Judith.

"And they'd have to be in the open, or climb a tree, to see it,"
asserted Joan.

"Maybe they made signals, too, and are waiting for us to answer them.
Did you bring a rifle, Dick?" said Julie.

"No, none of us did. But I can climb one of these trees and see if the
others made any smokes."

"Choose that towering pine,--you ought to be able to see everything from
that high top," advised Julie.

So Dick climbed the tall pine, but after he had reached the top he saw
nothing that might lead him to find the other campers. He shouted and
whistled as shrilly as he could from the lofty perch, but no answering
sound came to his ears, so he slid down again.

"See anything at all, Dick?" asked Julie, the moment he came down.

"A great sea of waving green tops, one wave back of the other, without a
break," said he.

"Well, what now? Shall we keep on hunting for the way back from this
clearing, or just sit and let them find us?" asked Joan, despondently.

"You know they say a flock of ducks will always fly towards water. Now,
I saw some ducks flying in one direction when I sat up in that tree,"
remarked Dick.

"Then you _did_ see something other than waves of green! Why didn't you
say so!" snapped Julie, impatient with his poor scouting sense.

"I thought they might be flying down towards Little Moose Lake, where
Dandelion Camp is, and we want to find our party," said Dick, in
justification.

"Anything to get out of this tangle. We'd just as lief wind up at
Dandelion Camp as elsewhere," said Joan.

"All right then, follow me and we will go in the direction the birds
flew," said Dick, and he started down hill.

Down and down they tramped, chopping away smaller obstructions, until
they were stopped by a wide fen that belted the section. Advance was
impossible, for every time one tried to step upon the ooze the foot
would begin to sink in.

"Oh, how awful!" wailed Judith, ready to cry.

"How can we cross? If only we could find a fallen tree that happened to
fall right across," sighed Joan.

"If only we had a drink of cold water I'd be thankful," declared Julie,
mopping her warm face.

"That's the easiest part of the whole trouble," quickly said Dick.

"What do you mean? I wouldn't drink that slimy liquid for anything,