ght even possibly become
separated. I urged Dio to keep close to me, and I knew that Boxer would
not fail to do so. We rode on and on, but our steeds went slower and
slower, while the cold had become so intense that I feared we should be
frozen if we continued to ride; I therefore, in the hopes of getting my
blood into quicker circulation, by the exertion of walking, got off, as
did Dio, and we led our horses. I went first, he following close behind
me, and Boxer bringing up the rear. The snow had become so deep, that I
had to lift up my feet at every step, making the exertion excessively
fatiguing. Our horses went on readily enough. As I beat a path, Dio
had somewhat less difficulty than I had. At last he begged that he
might lead the way to relieve me, but this I would not allow. Severe as
was the exercise, I still preferred it to riding. At last, our horses
being somewhat rested, having brushed the snow from our saddles, we
remounted and endeavoured to urge them on at a faster rate than we had
lately been going. The snow suddenly ceased falling. I stood up in my
stirrups to look round, in the hopes of distinguishing a wood in one
direction or another where we might find shelter, but one uniform sheet
of white covered the whole ground as far as the eye could see. Our
great object was to keep in a straight line towards the east, but, as
before, we had only the wind to guide us. Scarcely had we gone a
hundred yards, when the snow again fell as thickly as ever. I felt the
cold creeping over me. Poor Dio I knew must be suffering even more than
I was, but not a word of complaint did he utter.

"Long lane, massa, dat hab no turnin'!" he cried out, trying to laugh.
"Perhaps 'fore long we come to de wood where plenty of sticks, and we
light fire, build hut, an' de horses find grass, an' we sit down warm
and comfortable."

"I shall be very thankful if we do," I answered; "but it has become
terribly dark. It will be a difficult matter to see a wood, even should
we get near one."

"Yes, Massa Mike, but de hosses find it out, even it we don't," answered
Dio in a cheery tone; "what we best do is to let dem take dare own way;
dey know what the wood is, dough we no see him."

I followed Dio's advice, but our horses showed no inclination to turn
either to the right hand or to the left, but ploughed on through the
snow, as though unwilling to remain exposed to it as we were; I took out
my watch, but could scarcely