Through Forest and Fire Wild-Woods Series No. 1   By: Edward Sylvester Ellis (1840-1916)

WILD WOODS SERIES No. 1.

[Illustration: "Heavenly Father! please take care of me," prayed Nellie.]

THROUGH FOREST AND FIRE

BY

EDWARD S. ELLIS,

AUTHOR OF "YOUNG PIONEER SERIES," "LOG CABIN SERIES," "DEERFOOT SERIES," "WYOMING SERIES," ETC., ETC.

[Illustration]

PHILADELPHIA: PORTER & COATES.

COPYRIGHT, 1891,

BY

PORTER & COATES.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. NICK, 5

II. SCHOOL DAYS, 14

III. A MATHEMATICAL DISCUSSION, 21

IV. LOST, 29

V. THE PARTY OF SEARCH, 37

VI. GROPING IN DARKNESS, 47

VII. AN ALARMING DISCOVERY, 55

VIII. STARTLING FOOTPRINTS, 63

IX. THE LITTLE WANDERER, 69

X. IN GREAT DANGER, 79

XI. "GOTT SEI DANK!" 88

XII. OMINOUS PREPARATIONS, 96

XIII. THE BEAR HUNTERS, 103

XIV. A RECRUIT, 113

XV. A SURPRISE, 119

XVI. THE DINNER IN THE WOODS, 126

XVII. A TEST OF MARKSMANSHIP, 132

XVIII. A QUAIL, 139

XIX. AN UNEXPECTED LESSON, 145

XX. BOWSER PROVES HIMSELF OF SOME USE, 152

XXI. FACE TO FACE, 158

XXII. THE "VACANT CHAIR," 165

XXIII. HUNTING A BUCK, 171

XXIV. HUNTED BY A BUCK, 176

XXV. THE CAMP FIRE, 183

XXVI. AN UNEXPECTED ATTACK, 190

XXVII. WAS IT A JOKE? 196

XXVIII. THE TRAIL OF THE BEAR, 205

XXIX. "HELP! HELP!" 209

XXX. A FRIEND IN NEED, 216

XXXI. THE "DARK DAY" OF SEPTEMBER, 1881, 222

XXXII. THE BURNING FOREST, 231

XXXIII. THROUGH THE FIRE, 246

XXXIV. CALLING IN VAIN, 248

XXXV. WHAT FRIGHTENED NELLIE, 257

XXXVI. AN UNWELCOME PASSENGER, 266

XXXVII. A BRAVE STRUGGLE, 275

XXXVIII. BEAR AND FORBEAR, 283

XXXIX. CONCLUSION, 292

THROUGH FOREST AND FIRE;

OR,

"God Helps Them that Help Themselves."

CHAPTER I.

NICK.

Nicholas Ribsam was a comical fellow from his earliest babyhood, and had an original way of doing almost everything he undertook.

When he became big enough to sit on the porch of the humble little home, where he was born, and stare with his great round eyes at the world as it went by, that world, whether on horseback, in carriage, or on foot, was sure to smile at the funny looking baby.

Nick, although born in western Pennsylvania, was as thoroughly Dutch as if he had first opened his eyes on the banks of the Zuyder Zee, in the lowlands of Holland. His parents had come from that part of the world which has produced so many fine scholars and done so much for science and literature. They talked the language of the Fatherland, although they occasionally ventured on very broken English for the instruction of the boy and girl which heaven had given them.

When Nick was a year old, he seemed as broad as he was long, and his round, red cheeks, big, honest eyes, and scanty hair, which stood out in every direction, always brought a smile to whomsoever looked at him.