better drop down a few miles farther before we make camp," said
he. "_En avant, Moise. En roulant, ma boule!_"

Moise turned to his paddle and broke into song gaily as they once more
headed down the stream. They did not tarry again until the sun was
behind the western ridges. The mountain shadows were heavy when at
last their little fire lighted up the black forest which crowded close
in all around them.

"I think this is fine," said Jesse, quietly, as they sat about the
camp-fire that night.

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world," said John; and
Rob gave his assent by a quiet nod of satisfaction.

"I feel as if we were almost home now," said Jesse. "We must have come
an awfully long way."

Alex shook his head. "We're a long way from home yet," said he. "When
the Klondike rushes were on some men got up as far north as this
place, and scattered everywhere, hoping they could get through somehow
to the Yukon--none of them knew just how. But few of them ever got up
this river beyond Hudson's Hope, or even Fort St. John, far east of
there. Some turned back and went down the Mackenzie, others took the
back trail from Peace River landing. A good many just disappeared. I
have talked with some who turned back from the mountains here, and
they all said they didn't think the whole world was as big as it
seemed by the time they got here! And they came from the East, where
home seems close to you!"

"Well," said Rob, "as it's probably pretty rough below here, and good
grizzly country, why not stop here and make that little hunt we were
talking about?"

"All right," said Alex; "I suppose this is as good a game country as
any. We ought to get a moose, even if we don't see any bear. In the
old times there used to be plenty of buffalo this far to the west in
the mountains. What do you say, Moise--shall we make a hunting camp
here?"

"We'll been got no meat pretty quick bimeby," said Moise. "Maybe so."

They were encamped here on a narrow beach, which, however, sheered up
high enough to offer them security against any rise in the stream.
They were careful to pull up the boats high and dry, and to secure
them in case of any freshet. Used as they were by this time to camp
life, it now took them but a few minutes to complete their simple
operations in making any camp. As all the boys had taken a turn at
paddling this day, and as the exciting scenes of the past few days had
been of themselves somewhat wearying, th