his place, and he urged his horse to renewed
speed. The trees proved to be pecans, aspens and oaks growing so densely
that he was compelled to dismount and lead Old Jack before they could
force an entrance. Inside he found a clear space, somewhat like the
openings of the north, in shape an irregular circle, but not more than
fifteen feet across. Great spreading boughs of oaks had protected it so
well that but little snow had fallen there, and that little had melted.
Already the ground in the circle was drying.

Ned uttered an exclamation of relief and gratitude. This would be his
camp, and to one used to living in the wilderness it furnished good
shelter. At one edge of the opening was an outcropping of flat rock now
quite dry, and there he would spread his bed. He unsaddled and unbridled
his horse, merely tethering him with a lariat, and spread the horse
blanket upon the flat rock. He would lie upon this and cover himself
with his own blankets, using the saddle as a pillow.

But the security of the covert tempted the boy, who was now as hungry as
a bear just come from winter quarters. He felt weak and relaxed after
his long hours in the snow and storm, and he resolved to have warm food
and drink.

There was much fallen wood among the trees, and with his strong hunting
knife he whittled off the bark and thin dry shavings until he had a fine
heap. Working long with flint and steel, he managed to set fire to the
shavings, and then he fed the flames with larger pieces of wood until
he had a great bed of glowing coals. A cautious wilderness rover,
learning always from his tried friends, Ned never rode the plains
without his traveling equipment, and now he drew from his pack a small
tin coffee pot and tiny cup of the same material. Then with quick and
skillful hands he made coffee over the coals and warmed strips of deer
and buffalo meat.

He ate and drank hungrily, while the horse nibbled the grass that grew
within the covert. Glorious warmth came again and the worn feeling
departed. Life, youthful, fresh and abounding, swelled in every vein.

He now put out all the coals carefully, throwing wet leaves upon them,
in order that not a single spark might shine through the trees to be
seen by an enemy upon the plain. He relied upon the horse to give
warning of a possible approach by man, and to keep away wolves.

Then he made his bed upon the rock, doing everything as he had arranged
it in his mind an hour before, and, w