She carefully descended the tree and stood on the ground a minute later.  She found that her dress was torn and she had lost part of the ribbon from her hat.  This troubled her more than anything else, for her frugal mother had told her many a time that she must take the best care of her clothing.

“I was so scared that I forgot to look out,” she said to herself, after taking an inventory of the damages; “but I guess mother will excuse me for losing the ribbon, though I know she won’t for coming so far into the woods without permission.”

She now set out resolutely for the bridge, determined to lose no more time in reaching home.  As is the rule, the brief space she had passed in sleep seemed three times as long as was actually the case, and she thought it must be near morning.

She had gone but a short distance when she stopped with another shock of affright.

“My gracious! what can that be?”

A point of light appeared between her and the bridge, flickering about like an ignis-fatuus or jack-o’-lantern.  Nellie felt like taking to the tree again, but she bravely stood her ground until she could satisfy her curiosity as to its nature.

Watching it closely she observed shadowy figures flitting around the light in a curious and grotesque way.  She was in greater doubt than ever, when she heard voices.

“I think I saw her tracks, but I couldn’t be sure; Nellie knows too much to walk or fall into the deep water.”

“I hope so, but my heart misgives me sorely.  God be merciful, for if she is lost I can never recover!”

The first speaker was Nick Ribsam, and the second was the father, the mother immediately adding: 

“Why the poor child came here is more than I can understand, but He doeth all things well.”

"Oh, mother!  Oh, father!  Oh, Nick!  It is I, Nellie!  I am so glad to see you!"

And the little wanderer flew like the wind along the bank of the creek.  The mother was the first to recognize the voice, and rushing forward she caught her child in her arms, murmuring in her own language: 

“Mein Kind!  Mein Kind!  Gott sei Dank!” (My child!  My child!  God be thanked!)

“Mein lieber Nellie!  Komm an mein Herz!  Kannst du es sein?” (My dear Nellie!  Come to my heart!  Can it be you?) exclaimed the overjoyed father.

“O meine abtruennige Schwester!  Wie du uns erschreckt hast!  Wie es mich freut dich zu finden!” (Oh, my truant sister!  What a scare you have given us!  How glad I am to find you!) shouted Nick.

And the child that was lost and was found was hugged first by mother, then by father, and then by Nick, and then all strove to get hold of her at the same time, till the brother ceased, through fear that she would be torn apart.

Nellie was laughing and crying, and wondering why it was such commotion was caused by her return to her folks.