eluded him, and laughed so heartily that the others awoke and looked
wonderingly to learn what it all meant.

"I'll pay you for that!" exclaimed the lad, as his mother raised
her head from his lap. Bounding to his feet, he darted after Linna,
but she was so nimble, and dodged back and forth and from right to
left so fast, that it took much effort to run her down.

Like all little girls, she was very "ticklish," and when he dallied
with his fingers about her plump neck, she dropped to the ground
and kicked and rolled over to get away from him. He let her up,
and said with pretended gravity that he never allowed any trifling
with him without punishing the person therefore.

Linna did not seem to notice the absence of her father, and asked
no questions. Ben told his mother how he went off after she fell
asleep, and the good woman saddened, for she was sure she understood
it all.

The first thing done, after a few minutes' talk, was to kneel in
prayer, Mrs. Ripley leading in a petition to Heaven that all might
be preserved from harm and reach the distant settlement safely. She
did not forget the absent Omas, or the hundreds of hapless people
whom they had left behind, who were still in great danger.

It was Mrs. Ripley's custom always to offer prayer in the little
household at the beginning of each day. Linna, who had gained a
dim idea of what the touching act meant, bent on her knees beside
Alice; and who shall say the petition which went up from her heart
was not heard and remembered by Him who notices the fall of every