hot and wet--I can't remember anything since then. Oh!
father, don't let poor Bouncer die--see! he is falling! Dear old
Bouncer!" and she threw herself down beside him.

The poor fellow turned his head, and tried to lick her hand; then
started up, growling with something like his old savageness, and fell
over. They tried to lift him; they called his name. Even Bessie
attempted to arouse him with a cheerful call. There was no
movement;--Bouncer was dead!

It seemed hard to leave the body of the faithful creature lying exposed
in the forest, but this was no time to bury him.

All that they could gather from Bessie's confused account of the
surprise by the Indians, and her own escape, served to make the party
feel that further effort was almost hopeless--still they would not
despair. It was decided that one of their number should take the rescued
girl back to her mother, while the rest should proceed in their search.

The fury of the storm had passed by this time, though the rain fell in
great splashing drops, and the wind muttered angrily among the trees in
answer to the distant rumbling of the thunder. Drenched to her skin, and
shivering with excitement, Bessie begged that she might go with her
father.

"We will find them soon," she pleaded; "I'm sure we will, and then we
can all go home together. It will frighten mother so dreadfully to see
me coming alone, without Rudolph and Kittie, and Bouncer!"

The man whose lantern had gleamed upon her shaded the light with his
great rough hand from the spot where Bouncer lay, and in a voice as
tender as a woman's, urged her to go with him at once,

"Go, Bessie," said her father hurriedly, on seeing that she still
resisted, "we are losing time."

This was enough. "Good-night, dear father!" she sobbed, as she was led
away; "don't tell Rudolph about Bouncer until he gets home, father--it
will almost break his heart."

A voice that even Bessie could scarcely recognize called back through
the darkness: "Good-night, my child. Go easy, Joe, and keep a sharp
look-out."

"Ay! Ay!" answered the man in a suppressed voice, as he grasped more
firmly the little hand in his, and hurried on.

After a wearisome tramp, they at last reached the edge of the forest.
Bessie started to see a tall, white figure rushing with outstretched
arms toward them.

"It's the mother," said Joe, pityingly, raising the lantern as he spoke.

"Oh, Joe!" screamed the poor woman, "have you found them?--t