Bill and Breene entered the small one-room shack and saw a woman sitting at a large table. The sides of the building were open, enabling her to overlook the forest for miles in all directions.
“I believe that the lost are found,” she said when she turned and saw Bill and Breene. “Are you the two aviators who dropped into the woods near Diamond Lake yesterday? How did you find this place?”
“We are the same,” replied Bill. “I saw something shining in the sunlight when I was on a mountain top about ten miles back there.”
“I have been receiving all kinds of messages about you ever since you fell into the woods,” the lookout replied. “Telephone first and then the airplane patrol came over this morning and dropped a message concerning your disappearance at the same time he dropped my papers. The shining light that you saw was from my hand mirror. I sent reflections on the mountain sides on a chance that you might see them. Sit down while I telephone in that you are O. K.”
While she was telephoning, Bill tried to remember her name. He had heard that there was one woman lookout in the Forestry Service, but had not paid much attention when he heard the name. Now it was gone. The lookout gave him no clue when she telephoned. Her message was simple: “Lookout on Black Rock Mountain speaking. The two aviators who fell into the woods near Diamond Lake just reported in here. Neither one hurt. I will start them down tomorrow morning. Send out someone to meet them on the Tiller trail. Did you get that O. K.? Good-bye.”
“I don’t imagine that you have had much to eat,” she said. “One of you sit here and watch for fires and I will get you some supper. I am about famished myself.”
“I’ll take care of the station,” said Bill. “Breene, you help with getting supper.”
When they had left the tower, Bill studied the map. He located Black Rock Mountain and Tiller. They were safe as far as hunger was concerned, but were still many miles from civilization. Just how long it would take them to get back to Eugene he did not know, but he was going to get something to eat soon. That was the big thing right now—food. The trip down the mountains to the railroad could take care of itself. Then Bill remembered the lookout’s name. It was Mollie. Lady Luck was riding with him again, for they had found a lookout station in the midst of the wilds of the forest. If Mollie had not been throwing reflections with her hand mirror, he and Breene would now be facing a cheerless, foodless night in the woods.
CHAPTER XVII—BACK AT EUGENE
“Come and get it,” shouted Breene when the supper had been prepared.