hall have winter upon
us in a very few weeks now, which would of course add tremendously to
our difficulties. But you are not seriously thinking of stopping here,
are you?"

"I don't know, Godfrey. You see you have got a home and friends waiting
for you if you do get away, I have nothing but exile. I do believe we
shall never succeed in getting out through China, and I think we
couldn't do better than stop here for a year or two. By the end of that
time we may succeed in establishing relations by means of this Buriat
with some of the tea merchants at Kiakhta, and getting one of them to
smuggle us through with a caravan; but, at any rate, if you still hold
to going I shall go too. I have no intention of deserting you, I can
assure you."

In another fortnight Godfrey had made a stump for the child. The hollow
was lined with sheepskin to take off the jar, and it strapped firmly on
to the limb. The wound was not quite sufficiently healed yet for the
child to use it regularly, but when on first trying it he walked across
the tent the joy of his father and mother knew no bounds.

They had only been waiting for this to make a move, for the pasture had
for some time been getting short, and on the following day the tents
were pulled down, and for three days they journeyed east, and then
finding a suitable spot again pitched their tents. They were now, as
the Buriat told them, only some thirty miles from Kiakhta. Godfrey and
Alexis had talked matters over during the journey. They agreed that the
season was now too late for them to think of attempting the journey
until the following spring, and had almost concluded that the attempt to
get through China should be altogether abandoned. Going north there were
the rigour of the climate and the enormous distances as obstacles, but
the passage would be chiefly by water. There was no danger from the
tribes they would have to pass through, no difficulties such as they
might meet with from the opposition of the Chinese, and they had pretty
well resolved to pass the winter with the Buriats and to make a start in
the spring.

Their host was greatly pleased when they informed him of their intention
at any rate to spend the winter with them, for he hoped that before the
spring Alexis would have made up his mind to accept his offer, and to
settle down as a member of the tribe.

The day after the Buriats pitched their fresh camp one of the men
reported that he had seen a large bear at the