"It's coming this way, Owen." "I see it is; and the wind is coming up, too!" "What had we better do--turn back?" "I don't know. The fire may be a long way off. Smoke will carry for miles and miles, you know." "But if it comes this way----" "I think if we can reach Granger's camp we'll be all right. He has cut everything big off of White-cap Hill, and there is a wide brook to the northward." They continued on their way, watching the sky as before. Soon the sun went under the smoke and appeared like a great ball of fire hanging in space. Then the wind freshened, and the smoke came down so that they could smell it plainly. "I must say this doesn't suit me at all," exclaimed Dale. "If we don't look out we'll be hemmed in by that fire." They had now reached the little lake in the woods, and were walking towards the small lodge mentioned, when, to their astonishment, they saw the Wilbur children sitting on the bank fishing. "Hullo!" ejaculated Owen. "What brought them up here?" "The children must be having a day's outing in the woods," returned Dale. "Wonder who is with them?" The children were a little startled to see them approaching, but set up a shout of gladness when they recognized the two young lumbermen. "We are out camping all by our own selves," announced Bertie proudly. "We are going to fish and hunt, and build a big campfire, and everything." "Alone?" queried Dale, in amazement. "Yes, all alone," answered Gertrude. "Nurse wouldn't let us come, but we run away when she wasn't looking. And Bertie's got a real gun and fishing lines, and I brought along some fruit cake and two oranges, and a box of candy, and my Polly doll." "I wanted to bring Rover, but he barked so I was afraid Jasper would hear him," went on Bertie. "We are going to stay here two whole days. What do you think of that?" "I think you did very, very wrong to run away from your nurse and your mamma," said Owen soberly. "Your mamma will think you are lost, and she'll look all over for you." "And you mustn't think of using a gun," put in Dale. "Why, it might kill somebody." At these words both Bertie and Gertrude grew very sober. All in a minute the outing lost its charm for them. "I am going home to mamma," announced Gertrude. "She'll cry if she thinks I am lost." "I didn't catch a fish," came from the boy. "I don't believe there are any here." "Do you know the way home?" questioned Owen. At this query both children looked perplexed. "That way," said Bertie, pointing with his hand. "No, that way," announced the little girl, pointing in another direction. Both were wrong. "We'll have to take them home," said Dale. "If we don't they may become worse lost than ever. It's a good three miles to the lodge from here." "I don't see how they got so far," said Owen. "Oh, we jes' walked and walked and walked," answered Gertrude. "I didn't get tired, but I guess Polly did," and she caught up the doll that lay near, and hugged it to her breast.