ame, was likely to cost them dear; and
they could really not afford to take chances of such a slip-up.

On this account, then, he kept Francois close by, and was frequently
seen to be exchanging words with the voyageur.

It was apparent to all of them when the change of direction was made,
for the sun began to loom up more to the rear, as they headed into the
southeast.

This meant that the river must lie straight ahead now, and if their
calculation did not go amiss, they should strike it in the vicinity of
the place where the growth of friendly reeds concealed their boats.

Habit was strong with the boys. They had for a long time now accustomed
themselves to noticing everything of interest around them on all
occasions. So it was that while they paid some attention to what lay in
front much of the time, they kept pointing out objects of interest to
one another as they walked along.

Now it might be a splendid chance to bag a feeding caribou, seen in a
glade off to the right, and to windward, which accounted for his not
having scented the presence of human enemies.

A little later some frisky squirrel, or it might be a sly Arctic fox,
was pointed out. Birds were few in number, and consisted for the most
part of the species of partridge that can be found up in this far-away
region. Not a single song-bird did they see or hear, and a silence like
unto death lay upon the "bush," as the wilderness is always called
throughout Canada.

Far up in some of the trees, noisy crows had sometimes been seen,
holding a caucus; but just then even these seemed strangely absent.

These boys had known what it was to pass through a tropical jungle with
its confusion of sounds that at times almost deafened one; so that the
contrast was very strong. They could understand what was meant when
explorers talked of the "silent North;" and told how painfully quiet it
was at all times, save when some Arctic storm caused the ice floes to
grind together, and portions of the bergs to crash down from their lofty
heights.

"Seems to me we must be getting somewhere near that old stream," Jimmy
finally remarked, with a half-hidden groan, for he was undoubtedly
beginning to feel exceedingly tired.

Somehow, the boys turned inquiring eyes on Ned. They knew that he had
all the while been keeping a record of the distance covered, and could,
therefore, give some sort of estimate as to how far away the river might
lie.

Seeing that he was expected t