GROPING IN DARKNESS.
When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few
minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected
to meet there.
"They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.
"They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.
All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their
friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping
into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.
A chill seemed to settle over all as they reached the deep shadow of the
woods, which was one of the largest tracts of forest in that section of
the country.
The road which bisected them was fully eight miles in length, as has
already been stated, while the forest was much greater in extent in the
other direction.
Being of such large area, there were necessarily many portions which
rarely if ever were visited by hunters. Years before an occasional deer
had been shot, and a few of the old settlers told of the thrilling bear
hunts they had enjoyed when they were not so very much younger than now.
Those who were capable of judging were certain that if the gloomy depths
were explored these dreaded animals would be met; but if such were the
fact, the beasts were so few in number that no one gave them a thought.
It was now four miles to Shark Creek, and, by common consent, it was
agreed that the missing Nellie must be found, if found at all, before
reaching the stream.
As this creek was deep enough to drown any person who could not swim,
not to mention the large pond into which it emptied, every one of the
searchers felt a vague, awful dread that poor Nellie had fallen into the
water.
No one spoke of it, but the thought was there all the same.
Shortly after entering the wood, Nick called attention to two star-like
points of light twinkling ahead of them.
"They are the lanterns of Mr. Layton and Kilgore," said Nick, who
immediately added, "we forgot to stop and get Mr. Marston."
"That is too bad, but it isn't worth while to go back now," replied his
father, hardly slackening his gait.
As the lantern which Mrs. Ribsam had handed to her husband was lighted
before leaving home, the men in advance detected it immediately after
they were seen themselves, and the halloo of the teacher was answered by
Nick.
"Have you found anything of Nellie?" asked the mother, in broken
English, as soon as the parties came together.
"It could scarcely be expected," answered the instructor, in a kindly
voice; "we have just got here, and have only looked along the road. I
have little doubt that she is soundly sleeping somewhere not far off."
While all stood still, the father lifted up his voice, and in clear,
penetrating tones called the name of his missing child:
"Nellie!"
The ticking of the big watch in the pocket of Nick was plainly heard as
the little company awaited the answering call of the child.
But it came not, and three times more was the name of the missing girl
repeated by the father, who broke down completely the last time.
Nick now joined his thumb and finger against the end of his tongue, and
emitted a blast like that of a steam whistle. It resounded among the
trees, and then followed the same oppressive stillness as before.
It was useless to remain where they were any longer, and, without a
word, the five moved on. The three lamps were swung above their heads,
and they peered into the gloomy depths on the right and left.
Nick, as might have been expected, kept the advance, and his father
allowed him to carry the lantern. As the other lights were behind the
lad, the latter saw his huge shadow continually dancing in front and
taking all manner of grotesque shapes, while, if the others had looked
to the rear, they would have seen the same spectacle, as it affected
their own figures.
"Wait!" suddenly called out the father, who was now obliged to use his
broken English, "mebbe my Nellie she does hears me."
Thereupon he called to her as before, Nick ending the appeal with an
ear-splitting whistle, which must have been heard several miles on such
a still night.
Not the slightest result followed, and with heavy hearts the little
company moved on again.
"I think," said Mr. Layton, "that she has turned aside, where, possibly,
some faint path has caught her eye, and it may be that we may discover
the spot."
"Let's look here!"
It was the mother who spoke this time, and, as they turned toward her,
she was seen bending over the ground at the side of the highway, where
something had arrested her attention.
Instantly all the lanterns were clustered about the spot, and it was
seen that the eyes of affection had detected just such a place as that
named by the teacher. Persons who walked along the road were accustomed
to turn aside into the woods, and the five now did the same, moving
slowly, with the lanterns held close to the earth, and then swung aloft,
while all eyes were peering into the portions penetrated by the yellow
rays.
The path was followed some fifty yards, when, to the disappointment of
all, it came back to the road: it was one of those whimsical footways
often met in the country, the person who started it having left the
highway without any real reason for doing so.
Again the name of the missing Nellie was repeated, and again the woods
sent back nothing but the echo.
"Hark!"
It was the quick-eared Nick who spoke, just as the hum of conversation
began, and all listened.
As they did so the rattle of wheels was heard coming from the direction
of Dunbarton. The peculiar noise enabled the friends to recognize it as
made by a heavy, lumbering farmer's wagon. The team was proceeding on a
walk.
A few minutes later some one shouted:
"Halloo, there! what's the matter?"
The voice was recognized as that of Mr. Marston, whom they intended to
ask to join them.
Instantly a hope was aroused that he might be able to tell them
something of Nellie. Mr. Layton called back, saying they were friends,
and asking whether the farmer had seen anything of Nellie Ribsam.
At this Mr. Marston whipped up his horses, which were showing some fear
of the twinkling lanterns, and halted when opposite to the party of
searchers.
"My gracious! is she lost?" asked the good man, forgetting the anguish
of his friends in his own curiosity.
"Yes, she started up this road this afternoon toward Dunbarton to meet
her brother, who was returning, but, somehow or other, missed him, and
we are all anxious about her."
"My gracious alive! I should think you would be: it would drive my wife
and me crazy if our Lizzie should be lost in the woods."
"I suppose, from the way you talk," continued the teacher, "that you
have seen nothing of her?"
"No, I wish I had, for I tell you these woods are a bad place for a
little girl to get lost in. Last March, when we had an inch of snow on
the ground, I seen tracks that I knowed was made by a bear, and a mighty
big one, too, and--"
But just then a half-smothered moan from the mother warned the
thoughtless neighbor that he was giving anything but comfort to the
afflicted parents.
"I beg pardon," he hastened to say, in an awkward attempt to apologize;
"come to think, I am sure that it wasn't a bear, but some big dog; you
know a large dog makes tracks which can be mistook very easy for those
of a bear. I'll hurry on home and put up my team and git the lantern and
come back and help you."
And Mr. Marston, who meant well, whipped up his horses, and his wagon
rattled down the road as he hastened homeward.