"My children, how could you wander away so, when you well knew the dangers of the woods?" said the father, when they were once more safely in the camp.
"It was not Anne's fault, father: do not blame her. I persuaded her to cross the river, and after leaving the old Indian fort, somehow we got turned around, and instead of recrossing the river, we went on and crossed over another stream," said Edward.
"Neither was it all Edward's fault," replied Anne; "I wanted to see what was in the Willow Grove, and when once there the woods were so shady and looked so cool and inviting——"
"Wolves and all, sister?" said Benny.
"The wolves were not there then; nothing but birds and squirrels, and such bright flowers and——"
"Were you not very much frightened, when you found you had lost yourselves?" asked Jane.
"Oh! yes; and when the wolf jumped at Edward, I thought we should never see any of you again."
"Where is your 'plate cover' you used so effectually," said Edward, "for I want you all to know that when the wolf was getting the better of me, Anne, usually so timid, suddenly became very courageous, and with this for a weapon turned the brute's attention on herself, and thus perhaps saved my life."
"Give me Anne's 'plate cover;'" said the father, "I am curious to examine what seems to have played so active a part in your adventure."
"A curious thing, very," said he, examining it closely. "Howe, did you ever come across anything like it in your wanderings? It is heavy, evidently of some kind of metal."