The Four Corners

Meanwhile several bags of nuts were stowed away under the seat of the carryall and Randolph discovered that it was time to start back. "The days are so short," he said, "that we haven't time to more than get back before dark. Call them all in, Ashby."

Ashby gave a long mountain call. Jack and Jean came running and Nan appeared from where she had been picking up a last hoard of nuts. "Where are the others?" asked Ran.

"Don't know," returned Nan.

"I saw them go off that way." Jack waved her hand toward the west. Ran went a short distance and gave the call. Then he waited. There was utter silence save for the trickling of the little stream. Again he called but there was no response. "Where can they be?" he said impatiently. "They ought to know better than to act so. I suppose they think it is funny to pretend they don't hear." But in a little while, he feared that it was not pretense, and that they were really not only out of sight but out of hearing. He did not voice his alarm to the girls, however, but, after whistling softly for a few minutes, he walked away, calling to his brother.

"See here, Ashby," he said, "I'm afraid those two have strayed away and have lost their bearings. Because they have been up here a number of times, they think they can find their way anywhere. Now, don't express any surprise when I propose that you drive the others home. I'm going to stay here and you go back and tell Colonel Lewis what I fear. Get fresh horses and come back. I'll wait here in case Phil and Mary Lee find their way back. It will be all right."

Ashby agreed and the two came back to where the others were waiting. "Phil's playing us a nice trick," said Ran in assumed contempt, "and it's time you girls were starting home. I'm going to send you back with Ashby and I'll wait here for the others. I'll hide so they can't see me. Won't they be good and scared?"

"But how will you all get back?" asked Nan.

"Oh, Ashby's coming back for us. It isn't much of a drive and Miss Sarah will be worrying. As soon as it gets a little darker, Phil and Mary Lee will hurry out to the road fast enough."

"You don't – " Nan glanced at the twins who had clambered into the carriage. "You don't think," she repeated in a low whisper, "that they could be lost."

"Nonsense," returned Ran. "They'll be here in a minute, only it isn't worth while to wait for them and they deserve a good scare."

Nan looked at him steadily. She was not quite sure that he was not alarmed for the safety of the missing two, but he smiled confidently.

"It's all right," he insisted.

"If you stay, I will," said Nan decidedly.

"No, you mustn't," returned Ran.

"Why not?"

"I don't want you," he answered bluntly.

"Oh, well then," said Nan, somewhat offended, "of course, I'll not stay, but I must say you're polite."

Ran turned away. He had gained his point at the risk of being rude, but that was of little moment just then. He could make his apologies later. And so the three girls drove off with Ashby as attendant and left Randolph to keep a lonely watch on the mountain.

Aunt Sarah was on the lookout for the nutting party. "Where are the others?" was her first question.

Nan explained. "Ran thought we'd better come on," she said. "He's waiting for Phil and Mary Lee. Ashby is going back for them."

"Gracious!" exclaimed Aunt Sarah and sought out Ashby.

When she returned Nan was quick to read the anxiety in her face. "You don't think they could really be lost," she said in alarm.

"We'll wait and see," returned Aunt Sarah in her most non-committal manner.

But as the hours wore on, she made no secret of her fears. Jean went to bed weeping. Jack's eyes had a scared look in them. Just suppose there should be bears and wildcats in the woods. She put her question to Nan. "Aren't there wild animals on the mountain?" she asked. "Landy says so."

"Of course, there are wild animals; foxes and rabbits and chipmunks," Nan answered lightly, trying to allay her fears.

"I don't mean those. I mean real tearing, scratching, eating animals," said Jack.

"Oh, I don't know, I don't know," returned Nan, ready to break down herself. "Don't think about it, Jack. Go to sleep and in the morning you will see Mary Lee safe and sound in bed asleep."

"Please stay with me then till I go to sleep," said Jack. "I see all sorts of things in the dark." And Nan stayed.

About nine o'clock Aunt Sarah put on her wraps. "I'm going over to Mag's," she said. "I can't stand this."

"Please let me go, too," pleaded Nan.

Aunt Sarah waited a moment before she consented, and the two set off together, leaving Mitty and Unc' Landy to keep a sleepy watch in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, night had descended upon the mountain. Feeling that danger actually threatened his little son, Colonel Lewis provided himself with lanterns, warm wraps, food and a bottle of spirits, and then started with Ashby to the spot where Ran waited.

It was dark by the time the carriage appeared and Ran called out: "That you, Ashby?"

"Colonel Lewis and I," replied Ashby. "Are you all there, Ran?"

"I'm all here, but nobody else," returned Ran not meaning to be jocular.

"They haven't come?" Colonel Lewis asked making his way quickly to the spot.

"No, sir. Don't you think it would be a good plan to build a fire? They might see it, or they might see the smoke."

"If there is no danger of the woods catching we can do it."

"There's a big rocky place further on where I think it would be safe," Ran told him. "I have kept up a constant calling, but haven't heard a sound except from an owl."

To build the fire was the first step and Ashby was left to watch it while the other two set out, lanterns in hand, taking the direction in which the wanderers had disappeared. "I always carry a small compass," said Colonel Lewis, "and I have hunted in these mountains since I was a boy. We'll keep an eye on the smoke and then if we can only find those children, I shall have no fears about our getting back to the fire. You're not afraid, Ashby?" he called back.

"No, sir," came the prompt reply.

"Keep up a good fire and a good heart," called Ran.

"All right, I will," and little Ashby had his turn of loneliness. It must be confessed that he did feel a sinking of heart as he saw the two disappear into the darkness of the forest.

Darker, more lonesome, more awful did that forest seem to the two children who, wearied at last from unsuccessful attempts to find their way back, sat down upon a log to rest. "It's no use trying any more," said Phil. "We're tuckered out and we can't see a yard ahead of us anyhow. It wasn't right for me to bring you way off here, Mary Lee, and I wish I hadn't done it."

"It wasn't your fault any more than mine," said she. "We both started to follow the squirrel."

"Yes, but I said I wanted to try to catch a young one, and so you went to accommodate me. If I hadn't said that you wouldn't have gone."

"We might have gone after something else just the same," said the girl. "It is awfully dark, isn't it, Phil?"

"Father always carries a compass." Phil was busy with his own thoughts. "I wish we knew the direction we came, then I could find the North star and go by that."

"But we can scarcely see the stars in here."

"Anyhow I ought to have noticed the direction. Father says that is what one ought always to do when he is in a strange place, especially in the woods."