s,
so many and high that they seemed to prop up the eternal blue.

Will realized that he loved the mountains. Why shouldn't he? They had
given him refuge when he needed it most, saving him and Boyd from
dreadful torture and certain death. Somewhere in the heart of them lay
the great treasure that he meant to find, and they possessed a majesty
that appealed not merely to his sense of beauty, but to a spiritual
feeling that was in truth an uplift to the soul.

He was awake scarcely a minute, but all the events of the last few days
passed in a swift panorama before his mind--the warning of Red Cloud,
the silent departure by night from the camp of the troops, the pursuit
by the Sioux, and the escape into the high ranges. Rapidly as it passed
it was almost as vivid as if it were happening again, and then he was
asleep once more.

When he awoke the dawn was an hour old, and Boyd was kindling a low fire
down by the edge of the stream.

"We'll draw on the coffee once more this morning," he said. "After all
that we've passed through we're entitled to two cups of it apiece. I'll
make bread and warm some of the dried beef, too. Suppose, while I'm
doing it you climb to the crest over there, and use those glasses of
yours for all they're worth."

It was a stiff climb to the summit, but once there Will had a tremendous
view in all directions. Far to the south he was able to catch through
the powerful lenses the dim line of the plains, but on all other sides
were mountains, and yet more mountains. In the north they seemed very
high, but far to the west was a mighty rounded peak, robed at the top in
white, towering over every other. The narrow valley and the ridges were
heavy with forest, but the glasses could find no sign of human life.

He descended with his report, and found the coffee, the bread and the
meat ready, and while he had been too tired to eat the night before he
had a tremendous appetite now. When breakfast was over they sat by the
stream and considered the future. Boyd was quite sure the Sioux were
still following, and that they would eventually strike the trail, though
they might be two or three days in doing so. He was of the opinion that
they should go farther into the high ranges.

"And what becomes of our quest?" asked Will.

"You know, lad," responded the hunter, whimsically, "that the longest
way round is sometimes the shortest way through, and those that are in
too great a hurry often fall over their ow