you going to
do?"

"I'll run back to the road as fast as I can go and get some people to
come back here and rescue you," said Anne.

"Yes, but you had best go on; you know there are no houses for a long
way on the road we came, and we must be nearer the Suet settlement than
any other. You won't be afraid, Anne!"

"No, Rose," declared the little girl, "and if I think of you shut up
here, even if I am afraid, I shall keep on until I find somebody and
bring him to help you."

"That's splendid, Anne!" answered Rose. "Now step here beside me, and
I'll lift you up."

CHAPTER VIII

THROUGH THE WINDOW

"Hold tight, Anne," whispered Rose.

Anne had succeeded in squeezing through the narrow window space, and
Rose, leaning out as far as possible, kept a firm grasp on the little
girl's hands.

"I'm going to let go now," whispered Rose; "try to drop easily, Anne,"
and in an instant Anne's feet touched the soft earth.

Rose watched her jump up and a moment later vanish in the thick growth
of trees. Then she hooked the window securely, and sat down again on the
iron chest. Her arms and shoulders felt lame and sore from holding Anne,
but after a moment she forgot the ache and her thoughts turned to her
father, and to brave little Anne traveling off through the darkness of
the summer's night to bring help to her friends.

The house was so closely surrounded by woods that Anne had to move very
carefully. The storm was over, but it was very dark in the shadow of
the trees. For a few moments she wandered about, not quite knowing if
she were moving in the right direction, but at last she found herself in
the rough path up which Lady had made her way from the main road. Once
or twice she stumbled and nearly fell over stumps of trees, but at last
she reached the junction, and now the moonlight enabled her to see the
white line of the sandy road stretching far ahead.

"I can run now," she whispered to herself, and sped away, her
moccasin-covered feet making no sound as she ran. All at once Anne
stopped suddenly, for coming down the road toward her were a number of
dark figures. They were so near that she could hear the sound of their
voices. Anne turned quickly to the roadside and crouched behind a bunch
of low-growing shrubs. As the men came nearer one of them said:

"'Twas about here I saw something run into the woods."

"A fox, maybe," answered one of his companions.

"Maybe, and maybe not. It's not the time to