ould, the perils of frost and
hungry wolves.

CHAPTER XI.

LOST IN THE WILDERNESS.

Stella could not keep her eyes from the silver mask of the man who rode
by her side. She was wondering continually at the mystery of him.

For an hour or more they rode up one valley, then across a hill or
stretch of prairie, and through valleys again, the black mountains
coming nearer all the time, until at last they entered a forest of
pines, which they traversed until night began to fall.

At a gesture from "Silver Face," as Stella had named the man who rode by
her side, the party came to a halt.

Stella now saw that it was the intention to camp, for, while some of the
men cared for the horses, others cut down several small pine trees and
built a shelter of pine boughs, into which she was ushered, and before
which a blazing fire had been lighted.

It had grown very cold, and Stella was grateful for the heat that filled
her shelter.

One of the men had brought food, and a pan and coffeepot from a pack on
one of the horses, and now began to cook supper.

Stella fully realized the peril of her situation, but particularly that
of Bud, who had been left alone, bound and helpless, in that wilderness.

If he had not given the impression to the boys that he was going west
instead of east, things might have been easier for them, but now Bud
might perish of cold or be the prey of wild animals before Ted could
come to their rescue, which she was sure he would do soon.

After she had eaten the supper which the man with the silver face
brought her with his own hands, she felt better and more cheered, and
began to take a brighter view of the situation.

The floor of her lean-to shelter had been thickly strewn with pine
boughs, which were soft and aromatic, and Stella reclined upon them, and
gazed into the fire, listening to the strange sounds that filled the
forest, for the camp was absolutely quiet.

After eating their supper the men had silently smoked their pipes and
then curled up on their blankets, which had been spread on mattresses of
pine boughs, and were asleep.

Only Silver Face was awake, and he sat wrapped in his cloak near the
fire, his eyes taking on a fiercer gleam as the flickering lights struck
them.

Stella wondered who he was. Evidently the mask concealed a horrible
mystery. Could he talk, and would not? Was that eerie, bubbling laugh of
his the only articulate sound he could make?

Stella wished she