eddy, you're next!" the scout leader announced.

Possibly it was with more or less trepidation that the one singled out
began to cover the ground. But then Teddy was not a tenderfoot, even if
he did not know as much as some of the others about woodcraft. He walked
along the log, made the jump successfully, though falling flat on his
face when he gained the rock; managed to gain the second tree trunk, and
conducted himself so cleverly on the whole that Ned gave him a wave of
approval after he had joined the others some distance away.

Frank and Jimmy copied the actions of those who had gone before, and so
far as could be seen they did not leave any trace of their passage,
though, of course, the old voyageur would look out for all that when he
came to cross, and examine the ground carefully in so doing.

Ned found no difficulty in following the rest, and then they stood on a
stone foundation, watching with considerable interest, while Francois
scrutinized the track to make sure they had not left some sort of
footprint, or disturbed any object, however small, that might catch a
trained eye and betray their little game to the enemy.

As far as possible for some little time, they were instructed to take
advantage of every opportunity that cropped up to advance, without
leaving tell-tale imprints behind them. That is the measure of success
in "blinding a trail," and if anybody ever had it down to a science,
surely a Cree Indian might be expected to. Still there was no telling
what might happen. Discovery was always in the air, and they must be
forever on their guard against it.

Jimmy did seem to revive under the influence of his little bite, for he
kept resolutely on, with set jaws and a look of grim determination
written large upon his freckled and rosy face.

They were heading straight toward salt water now, all of them knew;
because stars had crept into view, and these boys had long since learned
to tell direction, by means of the lights in the sky, by day or night.
The Polar Star shone dimly, as always, nearly directly ahead of them.
Other stars they could see, such as are never gazed upon by people
living in the temperate climes, constellations peculiar to the northern
region of ice and snow.

"Eet is here we rest and eat!" announced Francois, after a long and
arduous siege of this tramping and stumbling had been endured.

Jimmy wanted very much to make out that it was a matter of small
importance to him whether