But Jack determined if there was a way to bring him back it must be done, so providing herself with some of his favorite food and a length of rope, in her usual confident way she started out to find the lost mascot. The print of his little hoofs led her through the camp, across a field and into the first piece of woods beyond. Here they were more difficult to follow; only once in a while upon the damp leaves could Jack discover the impress. One of the pleasant occupations of the summer had been a study of wood lore from that master woodsman, ’Lish, who knew more strange things than any one Jack had ever seen except her old friend, Jo Poker, in California. He had taught her things, too. So she told herself she need not be afraid, as she knew just how to get back. The mountains were to the west of the camp and the sun set behind them. The lake was to the east, therefore when she could see one or the other she would know exactly the direction she should go. “When I go back,” she told herself, “I must have the mountains on my right for I shall be going south.” She noted very particularly all these points as she entered the woods.
She went on trying to trace the way Happy had gone, but as he had pursued his journey by leaps and bounds and she could only trot along a rather difficult path, she did not make much headway and early lost all trace of him. Still she did not give up at once, believing she might any time hit upon his tracks. But at last she had to confess to herself that it was not worth while to follow up such a forlorn hope and she resolved to go back. “It’s dreadful to have to tell them we have lost our mascot,” she said, “but we shall have to stand it. Perhaps he will come back to visit us as Susan’s deer did, and then we can think we haven’t lost him altogether. I forgot to ask ’Lish how long Susan had her deer before it was set free. We have had Happy such a short time that I am afraid he won’t come back, though I shall try to believe he will. Now, let me see, I must find my way out of here.”
She trudged on through the dense woods which grew wilder and wilder as she continued her way, and a rough way it was. Sometimes she almost lost the path and sometimes it seemed impossible that she could ever come to an opening which would allow her to see so far as either mountains or lake. At last, however, she did catch a sudden glimpse of the mountains which instead of being on the right or left were directly ahead. “That’s queer,” said Jack stopping short. “I’ll have to get them on my right or my left. If I am going back they will have to be on the right.” So she turned carefully around but there seemed only a tangle of brakes and bushes in that direction and no path at all. She had not calculated upon the twistings and turnings of the lake shore.
She halted again to consider what to do, and then bent down to examine her own footprints. “If I were an Indian now, I’d have no trouble at all,” she told herself. “I wish I had a dog. Po’ old Trouble found the way to Mary Lee and Phil that time they were lost. Let me see. I came past that tree over there, I remember, because I noticed that some of the leaves were turning red.” She retraced her steps to the tree then halted again. “Now, I can’t see the mountains from here. I’ll try to find the lake; it ought to be on the left as I go back.”
She trudged on again and finally came out upon the shore of the lake. The spot was unfamiliar but she was undaunted even though the lake was in front of her instead of to the left. “I’ve all day before me,” she said to herself, “and if I can’t find Happy I can eat his buns, so I shall not starve.” She examined the pretty little shady nook she had found. “Now I know what is the matter,” she said to herself; “the lake turns here, because this is a sort of inlet, only I don’t know exactly which way to go after all.” Again she stood still and directly she caught sight of something moving among the trees. Could it be Happy?
She did not hesitate long in making her way toward the spot where she saw the movements and came face to face with an Indian gathering herbs. “Hallo!” cried Jack in surprise.
The Indian nodded. “How do?” He did not seem in the least surprised at seeing a little girl prowling about the woods, but went on searching for his herbs.
Jack watched him for a minute, glad to have met some one though it be a person so unresponsive. She wanted to make conversation but didn’t know exactly what to say. Presently she remarked; “I’m glad you haven’t a tomahawk.”
The Indian raised himself from his stooping posture. “I got,” he answered.
“Where? I don’t see it.”