en and with
his face wet from mysterious tears. The comfort of the childish
self-pity that came with every thought of himself, wandering, a lost
spirit along the mountain-tops, was gone like a dream and ready in his
heart was the strong new purpose to strike into the world for himself.
He even took it as a good omen, when he rose, to find his fire
quenched, the stopper of his powder-horn out, and the precious black
grains scattered hopelessly on the wet earth. There were barely more
than three charges left, and something had to be done at once. First,
he must get farther away from old Nathan: the neighbors might search
for him and find him and take him back.

So he started out, brisk and shivering, along the ridge path with Jack
bouncing before him. An hour later, he came upon a hollow tree, filled
with doty wood which he could tear out with his hands and he built a
fire and broiled a little more bacon.

Jack got only a bit this time and barked reproachfully for more; but
Chad shook his head and the dog started out, with both eyes open, to
look for his own food. The sun was high enough now to make the drenched
world flash like an emerald and its warmth felt good, as Chad tramped
the topmost edge of Pine Mountain, where the brush was not thick and
where, indeed, he often found a path running a short way and turning
into some ravine--the trail of cattle and sheep and the pathway between
one little valley settlement and another. He must have made ten miles
and more by noon--for he was a sturdy walker and as tireless almost as
Jack--and ten miles is a long way in the mountains, even now. So,
already, Chad was far enough away to have no fear of pursuit, even if
old Nathan wanted him back, which was doubtful. On the top of the next
point, Jack treed a squirrel and Chad took a rest and brought him down,
shot through the head and, then and there, skinned and cooked him and
divided with Jack squarely.

"Jack," he said, as he reloaded his gun, "we can't keep this up much
longer. I hain't got more'n two more loads o' powder here."

And, thereupon, Jack leaped suddenly in the air and, turning quite
around, lighted with his nose pointed, as it was before he sprang. Chad
cocked the old gun and stepped forward. A low hissing whir rose a few
feet to one side of the path and, very carefully, the boy climbed a
fallen trunk and edged his way, very carefully, toward the sound: and
there, by a dead limb and with his ugly head reared thr