The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-25

the fallen leaves lay toe thickly over it. Strange he should DO: have noticed th's on comingl But Fred was brave-hearted and did uot feel afraid. He went along, whistllng merrily, trying to assure him. self thnt he was on the right track. But after a while he felt that he had already consumed more time in going than he had consumed In coming. little shiver of fear ran through him, but he quickly threw it off. ''Oh, I'm not lost, even though the boys have gone on and left me" he said alcud
 So on md on he walked, and pretty soon, to his astonishment, he came to stream of water, clear and ripping over rocks and pebbles. Then Fred's heart quickened, for he realized he had been going farther and farther away from the place where he had left his companions. He knew by description the geography of these woods and knew that this creek was much farther within the wood than he and tis four comrades had intended to come. He paused and took council with himself. What should he do to find his bearings? Clearly, he was lost. He do- cided to call out as loudly as his lungs would allow and then listen for an an swerlng shout from his comrades. Several times he called "Hellol Hello" but re- eeiyed no response from his fellows. Then Fred knew he must be long, long way from the place where he parted with the company of the right" and the left"
 And with Fred foot-sore and heart heavy, the day wnned, getting dark very rapidly in the great woods. Fred was also very much afraid to be obliged to spend the night there alone. He began to think of all the animals of prey that might even now be scenting him and coming stealth fly on his trail. He decided to keep on walking, following the creeks course, for that he knew would lead him out of the woods to point some eight miles from his own home. But he did not stop to think of the time required In reaching the place where this small stream flowed Into a larger one, for had he done so he would have realized that he had more than an all nights Journey ahead of him, for the creek was a winding one Indeed.
 After a long, long tramp Fred sat down on a fallen log to rest bit. And then the almost miraculous happened Voices, dis tinctly the voices of men, sounded in his ears. Fred's heart leaped to his throat in his ecstacy of Joy. He called out in a voice which quavered: Hello. Hellol I'm lostl"
 An answering shout came from near by spot. Then in an another minute two men appeared in the growing darkness, their forms just visible as they came for ward. "Well," cried out one, lighting match. "Where'd you come from, bub?"
 And then Fred laughed some more, for the questioner was his own uncle John who, with companion, was out hunting squirrels It did not take Fred long to explain his dilemma, and as soon as he was through his uncle, and his uncle's companion, told him they were on their way back to town and that he might join them. Although Fred tried to de- scribe the place where he had intended to join his comrades he could not do so, for, as his jolly uncle declared, "all the woods looked alike to him." and added that the boys had no doubt tired of waiting for their leader and had gone off home ward without him. This information made Fred wince but he took 1t as phllosophi- cally as he could and arose and proceeded