Mary and Alice were hunting for the cows that had strayed into the woods. It was hard to look for them for there were miles of big timber called Indian land, and often the cows would go far before stopping to rest or graze.
As the girls climbed over logs and pushed through the thick brush they would stop every little while to listen for cow bells. After going a good distance without finding any trace of them at all, Mary noticed that the sun was going down.
“Look, Alice, it will be dark before we know it. We'd better just stop hunting and try to find our way home.”
Alice agreed so they turned about and started homeward. “Oh, Mary! how dark it is already!” she cried in just a few moments. “It will soon be pitch dark, and we're a long way from home!”
“I'm afraid so,” answered Mary. “It does get dark awfully fast here in the big woods. Let's hurry.”
But it seemed of no use. In about half an hour they could scarcely see one another. “We'd better stop or we'll get terribly lost,” Mary finally said. “We'll just be going around in circles now that it's so dark. Perhaps we'd better try calling, for maybe someone is out looking for us.”
So they called, but as they listened for an answer they heard only the hooting of an owl and an echo of their own voices. Again and again they tried, until Alice began to cry with fright.
Mary sat down on a log she had stumbled against and tried to comfort her. “I'm not afraid,” she said, “the Lord will take care of us. Let's just sleep right here on the ground, and we can surely find our way in the morning.” But Alice only sobbed the more. The night grew darker and seemed to be filled with many strange sounds. Now and then they thought they heard a call, but it only proved to be an owl again. Suddenly Mary cried, “What was that? Look——-look, Alice! Isn't that a light———over there? Oh, it's gone, no! there it is! It is a light! Listen——-there's a call—-“and springing up the girls began to shout. Immediately an answer came, and soon the girls found themselves in the light of their father's lantern and with great joy were on their way home.
One time I too was lost, lost in the darkness of sin. No matter how hard I tried I could not find my way out! Then I saw a Light!——-and I heard a call! And I knew my heavenly Father was seeking me. How good it was to be found!