nd trio drank tea and ate pemmican, still
fighting back the pack. West laid open the nose of one in an ugly cut
with the iron-bound end of his whip-butt. Perhaps he was not wholly to
blame. Many of the dog-trains of the North are taught to understand
nothing but the sting of the whip and will respond only to brutal
treatment.

The second night was a repetition of the first. The three were divided
into two camps. Whaley or Jessie McRae watched West every minute.
There was a look in his eye they distrusted, a sulky malice back of
which seemed to smoke banked fires of murderous desire. He lay on the
floor and slept a good deal in short cat-naps. Apparently his dreams
were not pleasant. He would growl incoherently through set teeth and
clench great hairy fists in spasms of rage. Out of these he wakened
with a start to glare around suspiciously at the others. It was clear
the thought was in the back of his mind that they might destroy him
while he was asleep.

Throughout the third day the storm continued unabated. Whaley and
West discussed the situation. Except for a few pounds of fish, their
provisions were gone. If the blizzard did not moderate, they would
soon face starvation.

During the night the wind died down. Day broke clear, a faint and
wintry sun in the sky.

To West the other man made a proposal. "Have to get out and hunt food.
We'll find caribou in some of the coulees along the creek. What say?"

The convict looked at him with sly cunning. "How about this girl?
Think I'm gonna leave her to mush out an' put the police on my trail?
No, sir. I'll take her snowshoes with me."

Whaley shrugged his shoulders. "She couldn't find her way home if she
had shoes. But please yourself about that."

West's shifty gaze slid over him. The proposal of a hunt suited him.
He must have a supply of food to carry him to Lookout. Whaley was a
good shot and an expert trailer. If there were caribou or moose in the
vicinity, he was likely to make a kill. In any event there would be
hundreds of white rabbits scurrying through the woods. He decided
craftily to make use of the gambler, and after he was through with
him--

The men took with them part of the tea and enough fish to feed the
dogs once. They expected to find game sufficient to supply themselves
and stock up for a few days. Whaley insisted on leaving Jessie her
rifle, in order that she might shoot a rabbit or two if any ventured
near the cabin. She had three frozen fish