Evening star., 1940-01-14
THE EIGHTH DAY

! WIS StaIlUulS way up III tlle hlT.
I didn't walk for a while, because I
was afraid my feet would just fall
apart and leave me walking on my
bones That's the feeling I had.
I rubbed my feet and then put
them in the cold water of the brook,
and after a while little color came
into them and I could feel a pinch.
When could walk, I left the stream
and went out into the sun, and 1t
felt good. looked about for some
strawberries, but there weren't any.
So, after I warmed up a little, I
went back to the stream and start
ed down with only drink Of water
Tor breakfast.
Boy, II I'd known what was Just
around the bend in that stream,
I wouldn't have waded into that
water I climbed up on a rock to
avoid a deep trout hole, and I guess
I was too weak to make it. for I
found myself sliding off into the
water. I tried to hold on to the
rock, but it was pretty slick, and
of I went, clear up to my neck.
That wasn't so bad, but the water
was icy cold, and was still shivery
after the night. For a second I
was too surprised to move. Then
I floundered around and climbed out
on a sandbar on the other side of
the stream.
Covered With Bloodsuckers.
felt something wriggling on my
legs and looked down. Christmas!
I was covered with little black
bloodsuckers I knew them, for
had seen them before. They were
all over me, and they made me so
scared that I. began to yell and
scram and jump up and down.
have always hated things like that
and can't bear to have one touch
me. I guess went wild for a
moment. I scratched and tore at
them. I couldn't brush them of,
and I knew if didn't they'd swell
up worse than mosquitoes. I don't
know why jumped back into the
water, but I did. and I thrashed
around and rubbed myself with
sand, and when I came out, nearly
all the bloodsuckers were gone.
rThere Is reason to believe that, be-
fore Dom crawled out of the stream
and on to this bar he tainted and
lay partly submerged in the leech-
infested water. This would give the
leeches opportunity to fasten them
selves to his body. In his weak
ened condition. the sight of them
may have caused the boy to faint
again, on the sand bar. Exposed to
the sunlight and completely out Of
the water, the bloodsuckers-as he
calls them-would then undoubtedly
drop on
Maybe some Scout leader can tell
me why they went away in the
water. There were a few left, and
picked them of as fast as could.
There was spot Of sun on that
sandbar. I was so tired after my
battle with the bloodsuckers that
lay down full length and closed my
eyes. I dozed of, guess, for I had
queer dreams. none Of which I can
exactly remember. These dreams
weren't like seeing Henry. the first
day. These were dreams-but I
saw Henry, all right, with my eyes
wide open, that first day.
Found a Trail at Last.
When I awoke, I felt better. I
picked my way over the stones and
got up on the bank Right away I
found what looked like a trail. I
followed it. going very slowly. I
think was just little crazy. for I
kept looking around to see If any
thing was after me, and here and
there I'd start to run.
After running a little, I'd get out
of breath and then I'd stop and lean
against a tree until I felt better
I was having trouble with my legs.
They would shake and quiver. all
the time, but especially when I
stood still. Boy. it's queer feeling
to have your knees quivering under
you as though the bones had been
taken out of them!
Now and then, terrible, dark feel
ings rushed up into my head, like
the one I had before I fell asleep.
I can't describe these feelings, but
they were always dark and empty,
but with something in them you
couldn't locate - something that
made your heart pound and your
legs want to run.
His Guardian Angel.
Hos,Y kyNuy MI, ~
tell something that happened that
very morning, but I guess I shall.
It's all right. Of course, but people
who don't believe as I do, may think
It's all Imagination. I believe in
guardian angels and, on my trip
through the woods, one Of the things
that comforted me and helped me
to bring myself out to safety was
this feeling that I wasn't entirely
alone.
CIn discussing this with Dom,
later, his father said, Your Guard
ian Angel must have been helping
you" Dom replied, HE was pulling
me along.'D >
In the night, in those dark woods,
that feeling helped me and, in the
daytime, when the going was awfully
hard, I felt as though I had some
one to lean on, and that helped, too.
Well, after I struck that trail and
had gone along for a quite a way.
tripped over a root and fell down.
was fiat on my face. I couldn't
get my arms under me,-they were
so weak at the elbows. I just lay
there and waited. Suddenly, felt
something take hold of me by the
shoulders-something like strong.
gentle hands-and I felt myself
lifted slowly until I was on my
knees. I looked around, expecting
to see man. guide maybe, and
was I surprised when I could see
nothing--not a thing! But the
hands were still there and they
were lifting and lifting. I got first
one foot under me and then the
other, then I Strengthened up. I
was stronger. I could walk.