so far.... We staggered on,
but we were upon the verge; we had all but reached the utmost limit of
human endurance. For four days we had marched over broken ground and
through the snowdrifts in this midwinter cold--four days without food!
Even Pike's iron resolve could not force his wasted muscles to perform
miracles.

I found myself dulling even to the thought of Alisanda. The end was
close upon us. A darkness was gathering about me. We were upon the verge
of exhaustion. Several times Pike fell, half fainting, and presently I
also began to stumble and sink down at the slightest misstep. Certain
that we were about to perish, we bent every effort to reach the nearest
trees, reeling and staggering like drunken men, or crawling, between
times, when we found ourselves unable to stand.

Half stunned by one of my falls, I lay outstretched, gasping and
quivering, when I heard Pike utter a stifled cry. I strained my head
about, and to my astonishment saw that he was on his feet and running
forward. Staring beyond, over a snowdrift, I caught sight of a little
herd of buffaloes advancing at an angle to our course. For a little my
strength came back as had my friend's. Staggering up, I tottered after
him. By the most fortunate of chances, the wind was in our favor, so
that the dull-sighted beasts came on without heeding us.

Pike had already gained a clump of cedar trees. Resting the long barrel
of his rifle across one of the low branches, he took quick aim and
fired. The shot struck the young cow which was at the head of the herd.
She stopped short. The others, sighting us, wheeled and made off at
their lumbering gallop. But to our amazement and joy, the wounded animal
stood as if dazed. I rested my rifle across a limb, and managed to give
the beast a second wound. A moment later Pike flung out his ramrod and
fired his second shot. The cow wheeled half about, and moved slowly off
to the left.

I had already poured a double charge of powder down my rifle barrel.
Upon this I drove home a ball without stopping to patch it, and dashing
the pan full of priming, took hasty aim behind the animal's shoulder. By
good chance the ball struck her to the heart. Yet even when she fell we
kept our places, hastily reloading our rifles. Not until she had lain
for some moments with outstretched head did we venture to advance, for
even a desperately wounded beast is apt to leap up and make off at sight
of the hunters.

Our hunger and exhausti