y must have been suspicious, and will do
all they can to throw us off the scent. But there," he added, with a
shrug of the shoulder indicative of resolution; "what's the use of
mourning over what can't be helped? All we can say or do won't change
matters, and we might as well look cheerful as cry."

"I know that," replied Bob, with a grimace; "but when a fellow is
disabled, in the woods, and probably two or three miles from any house,
the most appropriate thing is to cry, even if the tears don't do any
good."

At this moment, as if in answer to Bob's assertion that they were
probably a long distance from any house, and very much to their
surprise, Ralph was seen coming down the road waving his hands
triumphantly.

"What is the matter?" cried George, not daring to believe that Ralph had
already seen a house.

"There's a farm-house just around the bend here, with everything we need
in the stable," shouted Ralph, while he was yet some distance away. "I
told the owner that we had a hot axle, and were anxious to get on as
quickly as possible, and he says we can borrow one of his wagons, or
take anything we need to fix ours."

It is needless to say how delighted George and Bob were by the
information Ralph had brought. Instead of losing nearly the whole of
that day, as they had feared they should, by walking several miles
before finding a stable, they could repair damages in a comparatively
short time, and could, perhaps, yet overtake the men before night.

"Hurrah!" shouted Bob, as he urged his horses into a trot, the party
running behind.

And in a few moments they were in the stable-yard of a large farm, where
the proprietor was awaiting their arrival, ready to lend them any
assistance in his power.

Both he, as well as they, knew exactly what to do for this outgrowth of
carelessness, and pail after pail of water was dashed on to the hub of
the wheel to cool it off, even while he was yet repeating his offer to
loan them one of his wagons if they were in a hurry to be on their
journey again.

Leaving Bob and Ralph to continue the cold-water application, since not
more than two could work at a time advantageously, George went with the
farmer to see what sort of a vehicle they could borrow in exchange for
their own.

He returned very shortly, however, with the word that he thought it best
for them to get their own carriage into working order, since those
belonging to the farmer were all so heavy that they would