he
loss of his coat, and so completely tired out were the two little
wayfarers, that sleep overtook them, and in their dreams Prue saw her
beloved Randy, while Hi seemed floating through space upon one of the red
plush car seats on the way to Boston.

After fruitless calls at the farm-houses Mr. Weston, now thoroughly
alarmed called upon his neighbors for assistance, and searching parties
with lanterns and torches commenced to scour field and wood.

In and out between the great trees they wandered, their torches and
lanterns looking like giant fire-flies; and in every direction they
searched for the two little travelers; now at the margin of the woodland,
then in again to the heart of the forest. One man recounted to his
companion how several years before two children had been lost, and
although desperate search was made, they were not found until the pond was
dragged. Another farmer, determined not to be outdone, told, with bated
breath, of a bear which had been seen coming down the mountain, and that
when two hunters had given chase, he had disappeared in the woods.

"I shouldn't like to have the children meet him," said the man.

"Be still!" commanded his companion, "do ye want Square Weston ter hear
ye? He's 'nough worried now without yer tales er bears an' drowndings."

As Mr. Weston passed them, his lantern revealed the pallor of his face,
and one man muttered to the other,

"Ef they're not ter be faound alive, then I hope it'll not be the Square
that finds 'em."

"That's so, man," the other returned, "'tho' it would be a hard job fer
any of us ter larn that aught had befallen little Prue, and even that
little scamp, Hi Babson, I'd hate ter think of a hard fate fer him, he was
so brimmin' over with fun."

One man had strayed from the party, and with his torch held above his head
was slowly making his way through the underbrush, when, emerging from the
thicket, his foot touched something which but softly resisted it.
Thinking it to be some old and mossy log, he shifted his torch to the
other hand, and was preparing to step over the obstacle whatever it might
be, when, as the smoke blew backward, the flaming torch revealed the
sleeping children, Prue still holding Randy's letter in her hand, Hi with
a protecting arm about his little companion.

"Well, of all the pretty sights!" he ejaculated. "Safe an' saound an' warm
I'll bet ye, but haow on airth come they over here?"

Then with another look at the slee