John of the Woods | Page 9

Then he drew a deep breath, feeling safer.
He ceased running, and presently, being hungry and tired, he sat down
upon a stone and opened the bundle which Mother Margherita had

given him. He found bread and cheese, and began to eat greedily, until
he remembered that he knew not where he should find dinner and
supper. He looked at the remnant of bread and cheese longingly, but at
last wrapped it up and put it back into the little pouch which, as was the
custom in those times, he wore at his belt.
The lane upon which he was now traveling was shadier than the
highroad, and as he went on the trees grew even taller and bigger.
Apparently the way was leading through the outskirts of a forest. The
lane was more crooked, also. Gigi could not see far either before or
behind him, because of the constant turnings.
Suddenly, he stopped short and listened. There was a sound; yes, there
certainly was a sound on the road behind him,--the noise of galloping
hoofs.
Gigi was seized with a panic. Without stopping to think, he plunged
from the road into the forest, and began to run wildly through the
underbrush. He did not care in which direction he went,--anywhere, as
far as possible from the pursuing hoof-beats.
On, on he plunged, sometimes sprawling over roots of trees, sometimes
bruising himself against low branches or stumbling upon stones which
seemed to rise up on purpose to delay him; torn by briars and tripped
by clutching vines. But always he ran on and on, this way and that,
wherever there seemed an opening in the forest, which was continually
growing denser and more wild.
How long he wandered he did not know. The sun was high in the
heavens when at last, wholly exhausted, Gigi fell upon a bank of moss.
His weary bones ached. He was too tired to move, but lay there
motionless, and presently he fell into a troubled sleep. When he awoke
with a start, it was growing dark, and he was very hungry. He felt for
the pouch into which he had put his bits of bread and cheese, but it was
gone! He must have lost it when pushing through the bushes.
What was he to do? He knew he must find his way back to the highroad,
where he could perhaps beg a supper at some cottage. But how was he
to know which way to go? He looked up and around him in despair. He
was in the midst of the wildest kind of forest. The trees grew close
together, and there was no path, no sign that men had ever passed this
way.
Moreover, it was growing darker every minute. Already the shadows

behind the trees were black and terrible. Gigi suddenly remembered
that there were fierce animals in the forests. In those days, all over
Europe bears and wolves and many kinds of wild beasts, large and
small, wandered wherever there were trees and hiding-places; in fact,
one might meet them anywhere except in cities and towns. And
sometimes in winter, when they were very hungry, bold wolves
prowled even in the market-places.
Gigi shuddered. He dared not think of sleep, alone in this dreadful
place. He must try to find the road. Once more he crawled to his feet
and began to stagger through the darkness, groping with his hands to
ward off the branches which scratched his face and the thorns which
tore his garments into rags.
Now there began to be strange sounds in the forest. The birds had
ceased to sing, save for a chirp now and then as Gigi's passing wakened
some tired songster. But there were other noises which Gigi did not
understand, and which set his heart to knocking fearfully; the cracking
of twigs far off and near at hand; little scurries in the underbrush as he
approached; now and then the crash of something bounding through the
bushes in the distance; sometimes a squeak or a chatter which sounded
terrible to the little boy's unaccustomed ears. And finally, far off in the
forest, came a long, low howl that set his teeth to chattering.
Was it a wolf? The thought was more than Gigi could bear. He fainted,
and fell forward into a bed of soft green moss.

VIII
THE RESCUE
Gigi must have lain all night where he fell. For when he opened his
eyes the sun was shining dimly through the dense leaves of the tree
overhead. He remembered only the last thing he had heard before his
eyes closed,--that long howl in the darkness. So it was with a thrill of
terror that he felt a strange touch on his face. Something warm and wet
was passing over his cheek.