ning to their serenade. The wild, mournful
notes sent quivers up my back. By-and-by they went away, and as my fire
had burned down to a red glow and the night wind had grown cold I began
to think of sleep.

But I was not sleepy. When I had stretched out on the soft bed of
pine-needles with my rifle close by, and was all snug and warm under the
heavy blanket, it seemed that nothing was so far away from me as sleep.
The wonder of my situation kept me wide awake, my eyes on the dim huge
pines and the glimmer of stars, and my ears open to the rush and roar
of the wind, every sense alert. Hours must have passed as I lay there
living over the things that had happened and trying to think out what
was to come. At last, however, I rolled over on my side, and with my
hand on the rifle and my cheek close to the sweet-smelling pine-needles
I dropped asleep.

When I awoke the forest was bright and sunny.

"You'll make a fine forester," I said aloud, in disgust at my tardiness.
Then began the stern business of the day. While getting breakfast I
turned over in my mind the proper thing for me to do. Evidently I must
pack and find the trail. The pony had wandered off into the woods,
but was easily caught--a fact which lightened my worry, for I knew how
dependent I was upon my mustangs. When I had tried for I do not know how
long to get my pack to stay on the pony's back I saw where Mr. Cless
had played a joke on me. All memory of the diamond-hitch had faded into
utter confusion. First the pack fell over the off-side; next, on top of
me; then the saddle slipped awry, and when I did get the pack to remain
stationary upon the patient pony, how on earth to tie it there became
more and more of a mystery. Finally, in sheer desperation, I ran round
the pony, pulled, tugged, and knotted the lasso; more by luck than
through sense I had accomplished something in the nature of the
diamond-hitch.

I headed Hal up the gentle forest slope, and began the day's journey
wherever chance might lead me. As confidence came, my enjoyment
increased. I began to believe I could take care of myself. I reasoned
out that, as the peaks were snow-capped, I should find water, and very
likely game, up higher. Moreover, I might climb a foothill or bluff from
which I could get my bearings.

It seemed to me that I passed more pine-trees than I could have imagined
there were in the whole world. Miles and miles of pines! And in every
mile they grew larger and ruggede