ay! I wasn't glad to see smoke
coming out of the chimney! Oh, no!

"Well, that's about all. I took a long sweep around the prairie, and
came down at the place where we got the horses. I thought they would
have you watched, so I figured I'd better wait for night, before trying
to open up communications. When she got good and dark, I crawled around
the shore of the lake. But when I got here, I didn't know how in thunder
to let you know it was me, without bringing down the bunch on us. So I
decided to lay low till morning, and show myself to you, the first
chance I got. Then Garth came out and it was all right!"

"Just in the nick of time!" said Garth grimly.

"What were you going to do?" asked Natalie quickly.

But he never told her.

* * * * *

They settled down with what patience they could muster, to wait for
their relief. Two days passed without any hostile demonstration from the
camp on the hill; but that their enemies kept themselves well informed,
they had the best reason to know; for it snowed on the second day, and
on the following morning there were moccasin tracks around the house,
and the rounded marks of two knees under the loophole in Natalie's room.
Garth had taken the precaution to hang a piece of canvas over the hole;
nevertheless, the discovery made them decidedly uncomfortable. Garth
nailed a board over the hole; and they searched the walls anew for any
tell-tale crack that might betray them.

It grew warm again; and the snow melted off the ground. Frequent
observations of the other camp taught them nothing. This apparent
inactivity puzzled Garth, since the others must know that the game of
starving them out was blocked with the arrival of Charley. They waited
in momentary expectation of attack, or a proposal; but none came.

Garth's only serious anxiety now was for the three horses. They must by
this time have cropped the limited herbage of the island; and in another
day, when they began to suffer with hunger, they would undoubtedly swim
off; and all his trouble to save them would be lost. He was greatly
tempted by the recollection of a wide, low meadow on the edge of the
lake below, where the blue-joint grass grew as high as a man's thigh,
curing naturally in the sun. With an hour's labour, he reflected, he
could cut enough to last them for a day.

There was a risk, of course, in depriving the cabin of its principal
defender for even so long; but he would not b