e valley, and saw, opening
before them, one so much wider that it reminded them of the broad
expanse of the frozen Yukon. The course of this new valley was almost
north and south, and they felt certain that it must lead to the sea. In
spite of their anxiety to follow it, darkness compelled them to seek a
camping-place in the timber. That evening they ate all that remained of
their pemmican, excepting a small bit that was reserved for Nel-te's
breakfast.

They made up, as far as possible, for their lack of food by building the
most gorgeous camp-fire of the entire journey. They felled several green
trees close together, and placed it on them so that it should not melt
its way down out of sight through the deep snow. Then they felled dead
trees and cut them into logs. These, together with dead branches, they
piled up, until they had a structure forty feet long by ten feet high.
They set fire to it with the last match in their possession, and as the
flames gathered headway and roared and leaped to the very tops of the
surrounding trees even Phil was obliged to acknowledge that at last he
was thoroughly and uncomfortably warm.

The following morning poor Jalap was so stiff and lame that his face was
contorted with pain when he attempted to rise. "Never mind," he cried,
cheerily, as he noted Phil's anxious expression. "I'll fetch it. Just
give me a few minutes' leeway."

And sure enough in a few minutes he was on his feet rubbing his legs,
stretching his arms, and twisting his body "to limber up the j'ints."
Although in a torment of pain he soon declared himself ready for the
day's tramp, and they set forth. Ere they had gone half a mile, however,
it was evident that he could walk no further. The pain of the effort was
too great even for his sturdy determination, and, when he finally sank
down with a groan, the boys helped him on the sledge, and attached
themselves to its pulling-bar with long thongs of rawhide.

The two stalwart young fellows, together with three dogs made a strong
team, but the snow was so soft, and their load so heavy, that by noon
they had not made more than ten miles. They had, however, reached the
end of their second valley, and came upon a most extraordinary scene. As
far as the eye could reach on either side stretched a vast plain of
frozen whiteness. On its further border, directly in front of them, but
some ten miles away, rose a chain of mountains bisected by a deep wide
cut like a gateway.