ld them. "I never expected to see the day when I'd be feedin' one
with me own hands, an' sich a handsome lass, at that. A storm ginrally
brings something I've noticed. It was allus raining or snowin', or
blowin' when a baby came to our house, an' I had to go to the
neighbours fer help."

"How many children have you?" Jean asked with a smile.

"How many, Miss? Why, I 'most fergit. Now, let me see; there's
Bennie, an' Susie, an' Tommy, an' the twins, an' Pete, an' Dennis, an'
the baby. Oh, I fergot Martha, Sam, an' another pair of twins."

"It is no wonder you find it hard to remember how many you have," Jean
replied. "It must take a great deal to feed and clothe such a large
family."

"Indeed it does, Miss, an' that's why I'm cookin' here. I'm not as
young as I used to be, so can't stand heavy work. But, then, I
wouldn't like to lose one of me little ones. It 'ud about break the
hearts of me an' me wife. When we heard about you bein' carried off in
the dead of night, we cried, that's what we did, an' went an' counted
all of our little lambs asleep in their beds."

"So you heard of me, did you?"

"I should say we did, Miss. Everybody knew about it. My, I'm glad to
see ye safe an' sound. I do hope them slashers'll git what's comin' to
'em. I'd like to be after 'em this very minute."

"And so would I," Dane agreed. "It doesn't seem right for me to be
lying here when I should be out with the mast-cutters."

"Don't ye worry about that, young man. You've done yer share all right
in givin' us the warnin'. An', besides, look what ye've done fer this
girl. I guess if it hadn't been fer you she'd be layin' out there in
the woods now. Don't ye worry. What ye both need is a good sleep, so
I'm goin' to ask you, Miss, to take my bunk over yon in the corner. I
guess ye'll find everythin' in good shape, fer my wife's a most
pertic'ler woman an' has trained me right."

Jean was only too glad to accept the offer. She was weary to the point
of exhaustion, and her head ached. As she laid herself down upon the
bunk, and Old Dennis tenderly covered her with two grey blankets, the
softest bed in which she had ever slept never felt so good. She knew
how weary Dane must be, for he had merely pressed her hand as she left
his side. She thought of that terrible journey through the forest, and
the fight Dane had made to reach the camp. At first he had helped her
along the trail, but when she could go no farther h