“Have ye found their trail then?”
“Nay, and I dinnae think ye are going to like this.”
One look at the tracks Shelton pointed to confirmed Ballard’s worst fears. “A bear.”
“Aye. I thought we had driven them out of the area. It has been a long time since we have seen any sign of them.”
“He couldnae have just plucked them up and run off, so there must be some sign of their tracks around here. We just have to look harder.”
What with the wind and increasing heavy rain, it took Ballard several minutes before he picked up Clover’s trail. It was clear from the tracks that thewomen had run off with the bear close on their heels. Ballard did not have to say a word to get Shelton to follow with speed. They both knew that the rain could swiftly wash away the trail and leave them with no clear way to find Clover and her mother.
Clover felt the first fat drops of rain and almost cheered. The bear shook the tree once more and then lumbered away. Her mother started to climb down, but Clover grabbed her arm, stopping her.
“But the bear has left,” Agnes protested.
“I want to be sure he is far, far away before I get back down. I have no idea of a bear’s capabilities. Let us wait just a few minutes so that we are sure he can neither hear us nor see us get down.”
Agnes frowned up at the sky. “We shall be very wet before we get home.”
“Better wet than dinner for that bear. Ah … we may have another problem—getting back home.”
“Not that much trouble, surely.”
“We are not woodsmen, Mama, and the moment we saw that bear we stopped marking the trail.”
“And we took a very crooked path.” Agnes shook her head. “I am sorry, dear. It was a silly idea to go into the woods.”
“No, we just should have waited until someone who knows this forest could come with us. We acted a little rashly.”
“Ballard will keep us locked in the house after this,” muttered Agnes.
“I am sure the idea will occur to him. I just hope he does not worry too much when he finds us gone.” Clover started to climb down the tree. “Come along,Mama. That bear must be far away by now. We had better see if we can find our way back to our marked trail.”
“And pray that this wind has not ripped our markers off the trees.”
Clover silently cursed as she continued to climb down the tree, pausing to help her mother from time to time. Once on the ground, she sagged against the gnarled trunk and looked around, trying to remember how they had approached the tree. To her dismay everything looked the same to her. She could see nothing that urged her to go one way or another. She shook her head and stared at the ground, desperately trying to concoct some plan. Just as she was about to admit defeat, she noticed something on the ground.
“Mama, look there. Those are our footprints. And the bear’s too. Can you see them?”
Agnes frowned and nodded. “Very nice, dear.”
“Mama! We can follow our own footprints back to where we met the bear.”
“They will not all be as clear as these are.”
“True, but there may well be other signs to follow. Two women and a bear racing through the woods without a thought have to leave some marks.” She grabbed her mother’s hand and tugged her through the woods. “We had better hurry, for this rain will most certainly wash away any marks we made.”
“So we follow this just as some trapper or hunter would.”
“Only a great deal more slowly. And we pray that our running steps left nice, deep, clear prints. A footprint is something anyone can follow—even us. Ifthey fade or wash away, we will be right back where we started—hopelessly lost.”
Hand in hand they walked with their gazes fixed upon the ground. Clover felt the growing strength of the rain on her back and could only hope that their ignorance did not cost them dearly.
“The rain is getting heavy,” Shelton said as Ballard paused to study more closely the signs they followed.
“I ken it. The women were running hard and fast, leaving deep prints, but they are already being washed away. They ran a lot farther than I expected them to.” He started walking again.
“A bear on your tail can make ye strong and swift.” Shelton followed Ballard for a few yards before stopping. “Do ye hear that?”
