n rats, but I had never seen
any like those. They were so bold we were afraid to sleep, for they were
large enough to be dangerous.

"When Al awoke he was very sick and weak. John found a big tin box in the
kitchen, and in it were coffee, grapenuts, and the remains of a ham. He
melted snow for water, and got us a little breakfast. We were three
pretty serious fellows, for we knew only too well how the folks at home
would be worrying about us and how near we had come to freezing to death
on that great mountain of snow and ice.

"After we had had breakfast, we made us crude snowshoes from the ends of
grocery boxes, which we fastened to our feet with strings. Our shoes
became hard when they dried, and it was only after painful effort that we
got them on at all. We took the piece of ham, cooked the grease from it,
and with this oiled our shoes as best we could. Traveling was very slow,
for we were weak and sick, so it was nearly evening before we reached
Manitou. There we met several rescue parties just starting to find us. I
can shut my eyes and see them now. Some carried blankets and some food.
Mr. Allen had a big red sweater on his arm and a coil of heavy rope hung
from his shoulder. Old Ben was there, too, for they had sent word to him
at Bruin Inn, inquiring if we were there, and when he found out we were
lost he insisted on joining the rescue party. In fact, it was he that
suggested that we had probably gone up Pike's Peak. Ben and I have always
been great friends ever since.

"We held out some way till we reached home, then we all three gave up. O,
the awful sickness that followed and the pain of frozen feet! I was in
bed nearly a month, and every time I slept I dreamed of that awful night.
I came very near slipping off this earth then. Of course the newspapers
made fools of us and all the fellows teased us nearly beyond endurance.
It was only a few weeks later that an immense mountain lion was shot near
the cabin on the carriage road. There you are, you have my story, now
let's forget it."

Not a fellow moved. They all sat looking intently into the dying fire.
After a few minutes Mr. Allen suggested a sleep, and before long the camp
was quiet, each camper wrapped in his blanket and stretched full length
on the ground.

* * * * *

Very early the next morning the transportation of equipment was
begun. The entire party went over to Fairview to bring the first load
of tin dishes, pl