82 TROTTY’S WEDDING TOUR.

no more terrible nights spent in the dark and lonely cellar,
no more going to bed without her supper, and crying herself
to sleep. Massa Linkum would never treat her so. She
never once doubted, in that foolish little trusting heart of
hers, that he would be glad to see her, and Hungry too.
Why should she? Was there any one in all the world who
had looked so at poor little June ?

So on and away, deep into the woods and swamps, she
trudged cheerily ; and she sang low to Hungry, and Hungry
purred to her. The night passed on and the stars grew pale,
the woods deepened and thickened, the swamps were cold
and wet, the brambles scratched her hands and fect.

“Tt ’s jes’ ober here little ways, Hungry,’ —trying to
laugh. “ We ’ll fine him purty soon. I’s terrible tired an’
— sleepy, Hungry.”

She sat down then on a heap of leaves to rest, and laid her
head down upon her arm, and Hungry mewed a little, and
curled up in her neck. The next she knew, the sun was
shining. She jumped up frightened and puzzled, and then
she remembered where she was, and began to think of break-
fast. But there were no berries but the poisonous dog-wood,
and nothing else to be seen but leaves and grass and bushes.
Hungry snapped up a few grasshoppers, and looked longingly
at an unattainable squirrel, that was flying from tree-top to
tree-top; then they went slowly on.

About noon they came to a bit of a brook. June scooped
up the water in her hands, and Hungry lapped it with her