BACK AGAIN AND AGNES "Don't bother me," said Fred half awake; "it's not time for breakfast; just let me sleep a little more." Matthew pinched his nose so that he could not breathe, and this brought Fred to his feet. "Oh, I clean forgot!" he said laughing. "My, but that sleep was good! What time of the day is it anyway? We must have slept all day." They looked to the sky, though the huge trees were much in their way, and noticed that the sun was far in the west. "We are great heroes," Fred said laughing; "we sleep while the enemy is around us. Let us go." The boys were in high spirits, and thanked God heartily for having preserved them so wonderfully. "Who knows what was going on around us while we slept?" Matthew reflected. "Perhaps the Indians were in our vicinity, and we were shielded from their view. We have much to be grateful for." "If only I knew where Agnes is!" Fred said; "she is a bright girl, and if they don't take better care of her than they did of me, I fear that she will escape them. She is as spry as a squirrel." "We must find her," Matthew urged eagerly; "but where shall we go? I must confess that I am completely bewildered. Why, even that sun has turned. Before it was in the west, and now it is in the north. What's happening to me?" "You need some more bear's meat," Fred said; "you are starved. So let us first eat and then think." After eating a little of the meat, they found themselves wonderfully refreshed. A little brook furnished them a cool, welcome drink, and with renewed spirits they set forth on their trip. They walked all day and long after the sun had set, they were still groping in the dark. "This will never do," Matthew finally said; "we are getting nowhere." "You are right," Fred answered; "as long as the sun was shining, I knew the way, but now I am completely lost. We better lie down and sleep until it is day. Then we can see where we are." They prayed still more fervently than they had done before, for their strength was exhausted and they were bewildered. "If the Lord will not help us out of this," Matthew said, "we are completely lost." "The greater the need, the nearer is God, indeed," Fred said; and after eating a little of the bear's meat, the boys lay down on the soft grass, creeping close to each other, for the nights were cool. They slept soundly until dawn, when Fred awoke and awakened his companion. "Brother," he said; "listen, there are Indians in the neighborhood. I hear them. And now see, they are making a fire!" The boys crept through the woods, and when they had reached the top of a low ridge, they saw the camp before them. "It's the same band of Indians that burned down the log house," Fred suggested; "I recognize some of them." "Then let's go, for it is not safe to be near them," Matthew urged. "I don't care to fall into their hands just now."