At this query both children looked perplexed.
"That way," said Bertie, pointing with his hand.
"No, that way," announced the little girl, pointing in another direction. Both were wrong.
"We'll have to take them home," said Dale. "If we don't they may become worse lost than ever. It's a good three miles to the lodge from here."
"I don't see how they got so far," said Owen.
"Oh, we jes' walked and walked and walked," answered Gertrude. "I didn't get tired, but I guess Polly did," and she caught up the doll that lay near, and hugged it to her breast.
The things the children had brought with them were gathered up, and the start for the Wilbur lodge was made without further delay.
"Give me a piggy-back?" asked Bertie of Owen, and the young lumberman did so, while little Gertrude was accommodated in a similar fashion by Dale. This lasted until the party had a rough mountain path to climb down.
"We didn't come this way," said Bertie.
"If you went around this hill you had a long walk," said Owen. "This is the nearest way to your home."