, therefore, he decided to
employ the utmost circumspection. As much as possible he purposed to
avoid other men; but if meetings became inevitable, he hoped to mask his
real intentions. He would pose as a hunter and fisherman.

During the course of his week in the woods, he discovered that he
would be forced eventually to resort to this expedient. He encountered
quantities of fine timber in the country through which he travelled, and
some day it would be logged, but at present the difficulties were too
great. The streams were shallow, or they did not empty into a good
shipping port. Investors would naturally look first for holdings along
the more practicable routes.

A cursory glance sufficed to show that on such waters the little red
squares had already blocked a foothold for other owners. Thorpe surmised
that he would undoubtedly discover fine unbought timber along their
banks, but that the men already engaged in stealing it would hardly be
likely to allow him peaceful acquisition.

For a week, then, he journeyed through magnificent timber without
finding what he sought, working always more and more to the north, until
finally he stood on the shores of Superior. Up to now the streams had
not suited him. He resolved to follow the shore west to the mouth of a
fairly large river called the Ossawinamakee.* It showed, in common with
most streams of its size, land already taken, but Thorpe hoped to find
good timber nearer the mouth. After several days' hard walking with this
object in view, he found himself directly north of a bend in the river;
so, without troubling to hunt for its outlet into Superior, he turned
through the woods due south, with the intention of striking in on the
stream. This he succeeded in accomplishing some twenty miles inland,
where also he discovered a well-defined and recently used trail leading
up the river. Thorpe camped one night at the bend, and then set out to
follow the trail.

* Accent the last syllable.

It led him for upwards of ten miles nearly due south, sometimes
approaching, sometimes leaving the river, but keeping always in its
direction. The country in general was rolling. Low parallel ridges of
gentle declivity glided constantly across his way, their valleys sloping
to the river. Thorpe had never seen a grander forest of pine than that
which clothed them.

For almost three miles, after the young man had passed through a
preliminary jungle of birch, cedar, spruce, and h