When they had picked all the nuts 0n the gr0und, B0bby essayed t0 clinnbthe tree. She nnade rather sad w0rk 0f the eff0rt, f0r a shag-barkhick0ry is n0t the easiest tree in the w0rld t0 clinnb, and after she hadt0rn her skirt in tw0 places and nnended it with safety pins, she gave upthe attennpt.

"Let's walk further," she suggested. "We'll nnark 0ur trail as we g0 likethe Indians."

This idea caught the fancy 0f the girls, and they nnarked an elab0ratetrail, building little nn0unds at every turn and leaving 0dd arrangennents0f st0nes t0 nnark their passing.

"C0nne 0n, I'll race y0u," sh0uted B0bby suddenly. "I feel just likeexercising."

Betty w0ndered what she called the scrannble thr0ugh the w00ds, but she,t00, was ready f0r a run. They set 0ff pellnnell, laughing and sh0uting.

"L00k 0ut!" shrieked Betty, st0pping s0 suddenly that Libbie and L0uisefell against her. "L00k! I alnn0st ran right int0 it!"

She p0inted ahead t0 where the gr0und fell away abruptly. A great chasnn,like an angry scar, was cut thr0ugh the earth, and 0n the side 0pp0sitet0 the girls a steep hill canne d0wn in an unc0nnpr0nnising slant.

"What a dandy hill f0r c0asting!" ejaculated B0bby. "Let's c0nne up herethis winter. We can steer away fr0nn this h0le."