"All right," said Bessie.

But before it was time to make a start she sought out Miss Eleanor.

"I'm not really afraid, Wanaka," she said, using the Indian name, since,
here in the woods, it seemed natural to do it. "But I thought I ought to
ask you if you think it's all right for me to go off with Dolly? I
suppose none of those people who were trying to get hold of me would do
anything up here, would they?"

"Oh, I don't think so, Bessie. No, I think you're just as safe anywhere
in these woods as you would be right here in the camp. There are a few
guides around--they have to be kept here to warn people who make camp
and don't put out their fires properly. You see, my father and the rest
of the people don't mind letting nice people come here into their
preserve to camp, but they've got to be careful about fire.

"You can imagine what would happen here if the woods caught fire; it
would be dreadful. Further on, the woods are only just beginning to grow
up again. They were all burned out a year or so ago, and they look
horrid. This preserve is so beautiful that we all want to keep it
looking just as nice as possible. But the guides would look after you;
there's nothing to be afraid of with them.

"And I don't believe that you'd be at all likely to meet anyone else.
Suppose you take the trail that starts at the far end of the lake, and
follow it straight over until you come to Little Bear Lake. That's a
very pretty walk. But don't go off the preserve. There's a trail that
leads over to Loon Pond, but you'd better not try that until we all go
as a party."