scape up the stream was also cut off. Below, however,
were a series of rocks running off to shore, and after some hesitation
he dropped into the stream and allowed himself to be carried down to
these rocks.

Five minutes of struggling in the current found him safe on the opposite
shore to that upon which the lower portion of the trail to Chilkoot Pass
lay. The question now was, how to get back to the other side of the
river.

"I'll walk along on this side until I get a chance to cross over," he
said, half aloud, and then the loneliness of his situation dawned upon
him. He struck out without delay, determined to catch up with the
others of the party as quickly as possible.

For the first quarter of a mile Earl did very well, but soon he noted to
his dismay that the stream was widening, and that, consequently, he was
getting further and further away from the other side. He had been making
his way along a cliff lined with short firs. Now the cliff came to an
abrupt end, and beyond he beheld nothing but a mass of jagged rocks and
a jungle of brush, to pass through which would be next to impossible.

"Stumped now!" he muttered to himself, and his face fell as he surveyed
his situation. The stream at this point was all of one hundred and fifty
feet wide, and the trail opposite was not close to the water's edge, but
wound in behind the rocks and fir trees.

"I've got to get over to that trail, that's certain!" he went on, after
a disagreeable pause. "Here goes to try the water again," and with
extreme care he began the descent of the cliff, which was some twenty
feet high. The bottom was reached in safety, and he found himself
standing in water and sand half up to his knees.

Because of the widening of the stream at this point the current was not
so strong, and he began to wade in deeper and deeper, until one-quarter
of the width had been passed and he found himself up to his waist. He
shivered with the cold and felt like going back, but a few steps more
brought him to a sand-bar, where the water scarcely touched his knees.
Overjoyed at this, he attempted to follow up the bar, soon reaching and
passing the middle of the river. He was wading on more confidently than
ever, when of a sudden the bar came to an end, and down he plunged into
a pool over his head.

The one thing to do now was to swim, and Earl struck out boldly for the
shore, still thirty feet away. The weight of his heavy clothing was
against him, and the cu