102 THE COUSINS.

glimpses of the western sky, and see the setting
sun gleaming through the foliage of the nearer
trees. In descending to the spring, they found
the ground near it covered with various coloured
mosses as soft and bright as velvet. Though they
could not see any house, Mr. Lovett thought there
was a farm within that wood, and not far away,
for he heard/the barking of dogs, and occasionally
a voice apparently speaking to some one at a dis-
tance. Mr. Lovett scated himself on one of the
gnarled roots of the walnut tree, and, while he
rested there, the children plucked some of the
flowers, and looked around for berries. They
found only a few whortleberry bushes, the fruit of
which was not yet ripe. They could not extend
their search very far before Mr. Lovett called out
that he was going back. ‘ As he went he widened
and cleared yet farther the path he had commenced,
and made the children throw out of the way the
branches and brush he cut away, as well as the
dead wood which already lay on the ground, so
that, when they reached the old footpath, they
left behind them a clean as well as clear way to
the walnut tree. Dinner was ready for them