ys' supply of bread and
biscuits, and also to parboil some beans for baking.

The tree selected for cutting up had been allowed to fall over a large
flat rock, and now the first work was to prop up the lower end. This
done, both ends were sawed off even and a good portion of the bark was
scaled off. Then Earl and Randy sharpened up several wedges and tried
their hands at splitting up the trunk into a suitable size for
whipsawing.

This was no light work, and had they not had a knowledge of woodcraft it
would have been next to impossible to do what the lads, aided by their
uncle and the captain, accomplished. By nightfall the tree was split and
sawed up into more than a dozen slabs, of varying thickness, and these
were laid out for working up in the morning.

When the party returned to the edge of the lake they found that three
other crowds had come in over the Pass, and there was quite a settlement
of tents alongshore. In one of the parties there was a young woman, the
wife of a prospector, who had stood the arduous climb nearly as well as
any one.

"Hullo, Portney!" suddenly cried a voice to Earl, as he was walking
around among the tents. "I didn't know you had got this far."

Earl turned swiftly, and was nearly dumfounded to find himself
confronted by Tom Roland, while Jasper Guardley stood but a few feet
away.

CHAPTER XV.

ON TO LAKE BENNETT.

The face of Tom Roland wore a smile, but in his eyes was an anxious look
which Earl did not fail to notice as he surveyed the two acquaintances
from Basco. The young prospector was much taken aback by this sudden
appearance, for he had not dreamed of meeting Roland and Guardley in
this out-of-the-way spot.

"Ain't you glad to see a feller from Maine?" went on Roland, as Earl did
not speak; and he held out his hand, which the youth took rather coldly.
Guardley had come up to shake hands too, but now he did not risk making
the offer.

"Are you two bound for the Klondike?" at length asked Earl.

"Of course," was Roland's sharp reply. "What else would we be doing up
here?"

"What started you--the fact that we were going?"

"Well, I allow as that had a little to do with it, Earl; but Guardley
got a letter from a friend of his who is up there now--a man named
Stephens. He said Guardley ought to come up at once, and as he didn't
want to go alone, I came along. How are you making out?"

"We are doing very well."

"You and your brother came on with your unc