Evening journal., 1905-04-03

N...1| the WOoQh,r Jul H iohNAt AAH
would take no part ip any further con
versation
SO / had TO lie down beside him again
and think out the problem as best
could. My mind was never more acute
ly conscious. and Il gathered many
strange Impressions, wandering in the
kingdom Of fear, as I looked up at the
tree tops. Uncle Eb had built a furious
fire, and the warmth Of it made me
sleepy at last Both he and old Fred
had been snoring long time when
ceased to hear them. Uncle Eb woke
me at daylight in the morning and said
we must be of 70 find the trail. lie left
he by the FIRE little while and went
looking on an sides and came back no
wiser. We were both thirsty and start
"a on on rough footing without stop
ping to eat. We climbed and crawled
Tor hours, it seemed TO me, and every
where the fallen tree trunks were heap
Cd in our way. Uncle Eb sat down on
one OF them awhile to rest
''Like the bones o the dead" said he
rs he took a chew OF tobacco and pick
cd at the rotten skeleton OF a fallen
tree. We were both pretty well out OF
breath and of hope also. II remember
rightly, when we rested again under
the low hanging boughs of Eastwood
for bite OF luncheon. Uncle Eb open
cd the little box Of honey and spread
some Of it on our bread and butter In
a moment / noticed that half a dozen
bees had 1T in the open box
lord Harry. here's honeybeesw said
he as he covered the box 80 as to
keep them in and tumbled everything
else into the basket. make haste now
While and follow me with all yer
might" he added.
In minute he let out one OF the bees
and started running in the direction it
few. 1t went but a few feet and then
rose into the tree top.
rHe's goin' & git up into the open
air" said Uncle Eb. "But I've got his
bearin's. an 1,guess be knows the way
all right" 1aisr
We took the direction indicated for a
few minutes. and then Uncle Eb let out
another prisoner. The bee few Off a
little way and then rose in a slanting
course to the tree tops. He showed rs,
however that we were looking the
right way
Them little fellers hev got a good
compass" said Uncle Eb as we follow
ed the line OF the bees at p'ints home
ev'ry time an never makes mistake" t"
We went farther this time before re.
Leasing another. He showed us that we
had borne out Of our course little, and
as we turned to follow there were half
a dozen bees dying around the box as II
begging for admission.
"Iere they are back ag'in." said Un-
Gle Eb. "an they've told lot O. their
cronies bout the man an the boy with
honey"
At length one Of them few over our
heads and back in the direction we had
come from.
"Ah. ha." said Uncle Eb. fIt's a bee
tree. an we've passed It. but I'm goin'
Z keep lettin' EN- In an out. Never
heard O. a swarm o. bees goin' fur
away. an 80 we mus be near the
clearin'."
In a little while we let one go that
took a road of its own. The others had
gone back over our heads. This one
bore of to the right IN front OF us, and
we followed. l was riding in the bas-
ket and was first &c see the light Of the
open through the tree tops. But l
didn't know what il meant until !
heard the hearty hurrah Of Uncle Eb.
We had come to smooth footing in a
grove OF naples. and the clean trunks
stood up as straight as granite col
umm Presently we came out upon
zg.sle fields OF corn and clover, and as
we looked back upon the grove 1t had
rounded front. and think Of ii now
as the vestibule OF the great forest.
Its a reg'lor big t0mb,' said Uncle
Eb looking back over his shoulder into
the gloomy cavern of the woods.
We could scesa log house Ia the clear
ing, and we made forit as fast as oul
legs would carry us We had a mighty
thirst, and when we came to a littl,
brook in the meadow we lay dowr
and drank and drank until we wer,
fairly grunting with fullness. Ther
we filed our teapot and went on. MeI
were reaping with their cradles IN ,
field Of grain. and as we neared the lol
cabin a woman came out In the door
yard and, lifting n shell TO her lips
blew q blast that rnshed over the clear
ing and rang ia the woods beyond Il
A loud 'hailoo came back from the men
A small dog rushed out at Fred
barking, and, ] suppose, with some lacl
OF respect for the old dog fsid hold o
him in a violent temper and sent hin
away yelping We must have present
ed an evil aspect, for our Clones wer
torn and we were both limping wit
fatigue. The woman had kindly fac
and, after looking at Us moment
came and stopped before me and he'll
my small face in her hands. turning !
so she could look into my eyes.
you poor little critter," said she
where you goin'g"
Uncle Eb told her something abou
my father and mother being dead an
our gotng west. Then she Rugged an
kissed me and made me. very miserabl,
/ remember wetting my face with he
tears, that were quite beyond my con
prehension.
"Jethro,'' said she as the men cam
into the yard. Il want ye & look at thl
boy. Did ye ever see such cunnil
little critter? Jes look at them brigl
eyesw And then She held me TO b,
breast and nearly smothered me and b.
gan to hum a bit OF an old song.
Yer full o. mother love- - said n,