David
and Reddy pounced upon him and he was obliged to forego his lamentations
and defend himself.

"It's time to move," said Tom Gray, consulting his watch. "I don't
believe we'd better go on through the wood. We'll have to about face if
we expect to get home before dark."

So the start back was made, but their progress was slow. A dozen things
beguiled them from the path. Tom's trained eye spied a wasp's nest
hanging from a limb. It was as large as a Japanese lantern and a
beautiful silver-gray color. Anne stopped to pick some ground berries
she found nestling under the leaves. Then they all started in wild
pursuit of a rabbit, and in consequence had difficulty in finding the
road again. Finally they all grew so hungry they sat down and disposed
of the remaining food.

"How dark it is growing," exclaimed Jessica, as they again took the
road. "It must be very late."

"It's after four o'clock," replied David, "and there's a storm coming,
too. I think we had better hurry. I don't fancy being caught in the
woods in bad weather. Hustle, everybody."

As they hurried along the path a blast of wind blew full in their faces.
The whole forest seemed suddenly astir. There were strange sounds from
every direction. The branches creaked and the dry leaves fell rattling
to the ground by hundreds. Another gust of wind filled their eyes and
nostrils with fine dust.

"Don't be frightened," called Tom. "Follow me."

He led the way with Reddy, but the storm was upon them before they had
gone ten steps. The wind almost blew them off their feet and black
darkness settled down over the woods. They could just see the outlines
of the trees as they staggered on, a blinding rain drenching them to the
skin.

Tom divided the party into two sections, four in one and five in the
other. They were to hold each other's hands tightly and keep together.
Frequent flashes of lightning revealed the woods in a tremendous state
of agitation and it seemed better to be moving than to stand still and
watch the terrifying spectacle.

On they stumbled, but suddenly came to grief, for the four in front fell
headlong over a tree that had been blown across the path, and the other
five hearing their cries of warning too late, followed after.

By the time they had picked themselves up the storm had grown so furious
that they could only press miserably together and wait for it to pass.

Suddenly Tom amazed them all by putting his hands to his mouth and