to her repeatedly without receiving any answer, and when
he looked about him in the smoke and gloom, he could see nothing of her
loved figure.

He noticed that it was very hot where he stood, and there could be no
doubt that the flames were advancing in that direction. His dread was
that Nellie had lost her wits in the presence of the new danger, and had
run blindly into the burning woods where there could be no escape for
her.

"Nellie! Nellie!" he shouted in agonized tones; "Where are you? Why
don't you answer me?"

He thought he heard something like a faint response, but it was not
repeated, and poor Nick was half distracted. For the first time since
entering the burning forest he lost his self-control, and not doubting
that his sister was somewhere close at hand, he dashed among the trees,
still calling to her at the height of his voice.

He had gone but a short distance when he was brought face to face with
such a fierce blast of flame that he was forced to turn and run back to
the water's edge, where he stopped for a minute or two gasping for
breath.

This repulse served to give him time to collect his wits, and he tried
hard to decide what was best to do, for he was resolved never to leave
that place until he learned the fate of Nellie.

"She had good sense," he added to himself, "and she would not have done
such a foolish thing. She has gone to some other spot along the shore
and is waiting for me."

Possibly this was so, but it did not explain the curious fact that all
the calls of Nick remained unanswered. The space inclosing the pond was
so slight that his voice must have penetrated every portion of it, and
it did seem that if she were in any place safe for her to be, she could
not fail to hear him.

Nick found a long branch, which answered for a pole with which to guide
the raft, and stepping on it he began pushing it along shore as rapidly
as he could, looking into the gloom about him and often pronouncing the
name of his sister. His heart sank within him when this continued
several minutes, and half the circuit of the pond was completed without
bringing him the first evidence of the whereabouts of Nellie.

Finally he paused, wearied and distressed beyond description.

The darkness of night rested on Shark Pond and the surrounding woods.
The murky volumes of smoke seemed to shut out all light, excepting when
the tongues of fire shot through them. The wind blew a gale, stirring
the water into ti