miles from the spot where the ore outcropped, he had found
none of the landmarks. The creek was not behind him, but a radius of
thirty miles would cover a wide belt of country, and he doubted if he
could persuade Agatha to extend the fortnight. Her obstinacy was
ridiculous, but must be reckoned on.

By and by a faint breeze sprang up and the mist rolled back. Here and
there a lake sparkled in the light of the rising sun and dark pines rose
out of the streaming vapor. But there was no glistening thread to
indicate a creek, and Thirlwell turned to Drummond with an impatient
frown.

"Do you see anything that you think you ought to recognize?"

"No," said Drummond, rather sulkily, "I don't."

"You haven't been of much use to us yet! I think you stated that when
you got here you'd recollect all your father told you about Strange's
talk. Seeing the places would bring things back!"

"I haven't seen the places, and the old man was very sick when he told
me. Anyhow, I've tracked your blamed canoes, and packed your stores
across the divides. Guess I'd have hit the back trail long since if it
wasn't for Miss Strange."

"Then we had better get down," said Thirlwell. "The boys don't seem to
have started to cook breakfast, and I want to pull out soon."

He was turning away when Drummond stopped him, stretching out his arm.
"Hold on! What's that yonder?"

"Mist," said Thirlwell, impatiently.

"No; it's too dark. Look again!"

Thirlwell started. The mist was drifting past the detached clump of
pines his companion indicated, but its color was silvery, and he now
noted a faint blue streak. This was something of a shock, for he had
thought there was nobody but his party in the neighborhood.

"Smoke!" he exclaimed. "Go down as fast as you can and tell the boys not
to make a fire."

When Drummond went off Thirlwell sat down and watched the smoke. It got
plainer, and rose in a thick blue cloud when the mist rolled away.
Somebody was cooking breakfast and the volume of smoke indicated a large
fire. It looked as if there were a number of men to be fed, and
Thirlwell had not expected to find Indians near the spot just then.
After a time, the smoke died away and he went back to camp, but told
Agatha nothing about what he had seen. When breakfast was over he took
one of the _Metis_ and plunged into the bush. There was not much need
for caution, because the party would, no doubt, set off when they had
finished their meal, and if th