The White Crystals

s danced before his eyes, and, as he thus floated upward, he instinctively put up his hands to avoid contact with whatever might be above him. Then, with a s

alarmed when his hand came away wet with blood from a slight wo

that's sure, and from the way my head feels I must have struck on a stone. Guess I

rew them out dripping with dew. He dabbled

of Adrian by this time, though it's as dark as a pocket here, and hard enough

se's hoofs, which might have indicated that the wagon was coming back. All about was silence a

to himself. "He'll be sure to be coming back soon," and he

y back home. Very likely he would have done so instinctively; or he might have gotten his bearings from the stars, which shone overhead, though somewhat dimly. As i

to go before meeting his cousin, but, as he walked farther and farther, he commenced to wonder what had become of Adrian. But then, he reassured hi

, now," said Roger, try

mehow or other, in a little while the white mark seemed to be fading away. It grew so dim that even by the hardest squinting of the eyes, it could no longer be seen. It appeare

boy, "this is queer. I

aid him, though ever so slightly. With unsteady fingers he struck the little fire-stick. It flared up, sputtered and flickered, and, a second later, blazed

s feet was a narrow path, while the forest appeared to meet above his head in a black arch. Then, with a start, he r

and sat down, to wait until morning. But, as it was, Roger was never more frightened in his life. Once he had been lost in New York, when he was a little cha

ost people. There were no police stations, no street lights, no lights at all, in f

the blackness, but where could he flee to escape it, for it was all about him. He felt like cryin

e you feel you'll lose your presence of mind, just stop, and count ten. Then yo

er in a loud voice. Even hearing his own tones did him good, and, before he had reached the "nine" he felt himself growing calmer. At the end h

wn. Now let's see. If I turn back and walk in just the opposite direction from which I'm facing now, and if I am careful to keep going down hill, and stay in this path unti

hands he felt the dirt under foot, to be positive he was on the hard, packed path and not travelling over the wood-carpet. He was in better spirits now and was sure

sition. But he had not one. However, he reflected, the nature of the ground he was travelling over might now be of assistance to him. He leaned over again to feel of the way. As he did so he brushed against some low-hanging branches of the trees, and

boughs and the rattle of the branches of the deep woods. He had now absolutely no sense of direction, no knowledge of which way to turn. He caught his breath w

im. Then, realizing he must play the man now, he shut his lips firmly, clenched

t. Then I can easily get back into the path, or some one will find me. That's

was cold, braced his back against the tree, and made ready to sit out his vigil until mornin

to mother about," he said, as

,-of his father, of his mother, and his little brother at home-of how he had

t, then more and more, until he caught

is," he said, rubbing his eyes. "

nice it was out here in the woods. There was a gentle wind, the leaves seemed to rustle and whisper to

er was fa

ble over into the finest feather bed he ever knew, whe

as

s heart was going like a trip-hammer. There was the echo of a great roaring in his e

n

t what did it mean? Somebody must be coming to find him. O

s feet. He peered

he called. "Here I am

of the twigs, as if some one was approaching nearer. Roger strained h

ll his heart. It was two small balls of greenish-red fire, and they looked right