somewhere on the trail."

Kate ceased wrestling with the fire and came to help in the search for
the missing delicacy.

"It couldn't have fallen out," she said incredulously. "That is
impossible. The tent was fastened securely over everything. Nothing
could have jolted out."

"Well, then, where is the ham?" I said.

That question was unanswerable, as Kate discovered after another
thorough search. The ham was gone--that much was certain.

"I believe Peter Crow has levanted with the ham," I said decidedly.

"I don't believe Peter Crow could be so dishonest," said Kate rather
shortly. "His wife has worked for us for years, and she's as honest as
the sunlight."

"Honesty isn't catching," I remarked, but I said nothing more just
then, for Kate's black eyes were snapping.

"Anyway, we can't have ham for breakfast," she said, twitching out the
frying pan rather viciously. "We'll have to put up with canned
chicken--if the cans haven't disappeared too."

They hadn't, and we soon produced a very tolerable breakfast. But
neither of us had much appetite.

"Do you suppose Peter Crow has taken the horses as well as the ham?" I
asked.

"No," gloomily responded Kate, who had evidently been compelled by the
logic of hard facts to believe in Peter's guilt, "he would hardly dare
to do that, because he couldn't dispose of them without being found
out. They've probably strayed away on their own account when Peter
decamped. As soon as this mist lifts I'll have a look for them. They
can't have gone far."

We were spared this trouble, however, for when we were washing up the
dishes the ponies returned of their own accord. Kate caught them and
harnessed them.

"Are we going on?" I asked mildly.

"Of course we're going on," said Kate, her good humour entirely
restored. "Do you suppose I'm going to be turned from my purpose by
the defection of a miserable old Indian? Oh, wait till he comes round
in the winter, begging."

"Will he come?" I asked.

"Will he? Yes, my dear, he will--with a smooth, plausible story to
account for his desertion and a bland denial of ever having seen our
ham. I shall know how to deal with him then, the old scamp."

"When you do get a conscientious Indian there's no better guide in the
world, but they are rare," I remarked with a far-away look.

Kate laughed.

"Don't rub it in, Phil. Come, help me to break camp. We'll have to
work harder and hustle for ourselves, that's all."

"But is it safe