en," said Jack Wumble. "Them Injuns
ain't above stealin' if they git a chanct."

"In such an out-of-the-way place as this, we can't afford to lose our
things," asserted Dick.

"Maybe we had better set a guard, at night," suggested his brother.

"Oh, we don't want to lose any sleep, if we don't have to."

It had grown colder and colder, and now the wind swept around them in
anything but a pleasant fashion. About noon came a flurry of snow.

"I don't like that," said Dick, shaking his head and looking up at the
darkening sky.

"Oh, let's hope it won't amount to much, Dick," replied Sam.

The traveling was steadily upward, for they had to pass over a high
hill to get into the valley leading to Lion Head. There was something
of a trail, made by wild animals originally and now used by
prospectors. This wound in and out among the rock and bushes. The
footing was uncertain, and more than once one or another would go down
in a hole.

"Talk about walking!" gasped Sam, after pulling himself out of a hole
well concealed by bushes. "I'm thankful I didn't break a leg that
time."

"An' ye can be thankful ye didn't stir up no snakes," came from Jack
Wumble.

"Are there snakes up here, Jack?"

"So they say--although I never see none."

"It's pretty cold for snakes," remarked Dick. "They only come out in
the summer time."

"I wish we were on horseback," said Sam, with a sigh.

"Hosses would be fine, if we could feed 'em," answered Jack Wumble.
"But ye can't do thet when the ground is covered with snow."

"The outfits are so heavy, Jack."

"True, my boy, but thet can't be helped. We'll be lucky if our grub
holds out."

It was after four o'clock when they reached the top of the hill. Had
it been clear they might have seen for many miles around them, but now
the dullness in the sky hid what was in the distance from view.

"Lion Head is over thar," said Jack Wumble, pointing with his hand.
"An' Twin Rocks can't be far off."

"And how far is Lion Head from here?" questioned Sam.

"Betwixt twenty an' thirty miles, Sam."

"Then maybe we'll reach there by to-morrow night."

"Let us hope so, lad. O' course you must remember we've got the wust
part o' this journey to go."

"Perhaps we'll catch Tom before we get to Lion Head," suggested Dick.

"Not by the way he has been traveling," answered his brother. "It does
beat the nation how he and that Furner have been able to get over the
ground."

On the top