e squaw led the way to a little opening among the trees, and there
Anne was surprised to find another wigwam, very much like the one they
had left that morning. The squaw spread the blankets, gave the girls the
corn cakes with strips of dried fish for their supper, and they had
water from a near-by brook.

Anne was soon fast asleep, quite forgetful of her strange surroundings
and of the friends in Province Town.

Meanwhile those friends had now nearly given up the hope of finding her.

Amanda Cary's jealousy had vanished the moment she heard of Anne's
disappearance.

"I do not know what I shall do with the child," Mrs. Cary said
anxiously, when Amanda cried herself to sleep on the night after Anne
left home, and when, on the next morning, she began sobbing bitterly at
the mention of her playmate's name.

"Amanda's ashamed; that's what's the matter with her," declared Amos
boldly.

Amanda's sobs stopped, and she looked at her brother with startled eyes.
What would become of her, she wondered, if the Stoddards should ever
find out that she, Amanda, was the one to blame; that Anne had not
deserved any punishment.

"Amos, don't plague your sister," said Mrs. Cary. "You know she loves
Anne, even if the girl did slap her. Amanda has a good heart, and she
does not hold resentment," and Mrs. Cary looked at Amanda with loving
eyes.

At her mother's words Amanda began to cry again. She thought to herself
that she could never tell the truth, never. "Everybody will hate me if I
do," she thought, and then, remembering Anne and hearing her father say
on the second day after her disappearance that there was now little hope
of finding the runaway, she felt that she must tell Mrs. Stoddard.

"I'll wager I could find Anne," said Amos as he and Amanda sat on the
door-step. "She's started for Brewster."

"Oh, Amos!" Amanda's voice was full of delight. "I shouldn't wonder if
she had."

"But Captain Stoddard says he followed the Truro path and no sign of
her; and other people say that wolves would get her if she started to
walk."

Amanda's face had brightened at Amos's assertion that he knew he could
find Anne, and now she asked eagerly:

"What makes you think you could find her, Amos?"

"You won't tell?" and Amos looked at his sister sharply.

"I promise, hope to die, I won't," answered Amanda.

"Well, I'll tell you. I think she started for Truro, and will go by the
meadows and over the hill instead of the regular path.