ncy had painted. Ravine succeeded ravine,
each with its own tiny streamlet meandering through it, and each more
picturesque and enchanting than the last, until at length, emerging from
this broken ground, she reached a stretch of park-like country with
practically no undergrowth, the greensward being studded with
magnificent umbrageous trees, some of which were a mass of lovely
blossom of the most exquisite tints, while others were lavishly draped
with orchids of every conceivable shape and hue. She was by this time
feeling somewhat fatigued and very hungry; she therefore selected the
mossy roots of an enormous tree as a resting-place, and, seating
herself, leisurely proceeded to eat her luncheon and to give Sailor his.
The air of the place was exquisitely soft and balmy, the wide-spreading
foliage shielded her from the too-ardent rays of the sun, and bathed the
whole scene in a delicious golden green twilight; a profound silence
reigned around, broken only by the soothing murmur of the wind through
the topmost branches and the equally soothing rustle of the leaves--and
it is not to be wondered at that the girl sank into a pleasant reverie
that gradually merged into profound sleep.

When at length she awoke, the changed character of the light, and the
deepened sombreness of the shadows, warned her that the sun was already
low, and that she must hasten homeward if she would reach the camp ere
nightfall; she therefore seized her empty basket, and set out upon her
return journey, following her outward route as nearly as she could hit
it off. But she had slept much longer than she suspected, and when at
length she again reached the broken and romantic ground that she had
traversed with such delight and enjoyment in the morning, the shadows
had fallen so deeply that it was with the utmost difficulty only that
she could discern her way, and she found herself obliged to proceed with
the greatest circumspection. And now it was that, for the first time,
she fully appreciated the advantage of having Sailor as a companion, for
the dog appeared to remember the way by which they had come much better
than she did, running on before her for a few yards, then pausing for
her to come up to him, and again running forward. Several times he had
persisted in adopting a certain route in preference to the one that she
seemed disposed to pursue, and in each case had proved himself to be
right; she therefore at length resigned herself blind