lain of the cold. The flakes fell thicker and
thicker. "Where is the track?" cried Rob on a sudden. They could see
their footmarks behind them, but in front there was not a trace left.

"Go ahead," said Tony. "The stag kept a straight line, and we have only
to look behind us and see that ours is straight and we shall soon find
the blaze."

Rob did not think this. He was sure before they had gone far that they
were bending very much, now to one side, now to the other. No sun
shone. There was no wind to guide them. Rob, after some time,
remembered that he had heard that the moss grew thickest on the north
side of the trees. On that side the trunks looked light and cheerful
and on the other dark and spotted. They had gone some way before he
thought of this. Tony and Tommy cried out that they were very hungry,
for they had had no dinner before they saw the deer. Rob wanted to find
the blaze first. They walked on and on, looking carefully at the trees.
No blaze was to be seen. At last the boys said they could go no
farther without eating, and Rob himself was very hungry. So they picked
up dry sticks; and soon had a fire blazing, and some bits of venison
toasting before it. The snow fell thicker than ever. They scraped some
up and put it into their kettle and made some tea. Once more they went
on, feeling much stronger.

"We must soon find the blaze," Rob said more than once; but he was
wrong. Night drew on. No blaze was to be found. "We must make a camp
before it is too dark," he said at last.

No time was lost. He had his axe soon at work cutting poles and boughs
and firewood, the boys helping him. A fallen trunk formed the back.
Between two in front they fastened a long pole and rested the other
poles and boughs between it and the trunk. They did not wish for better
beds than the spruce fir tops gave them. A fire soon blazed up in front
of the tent. Tony and Tommy were as merry as crickets. They had plenty
to eat and the fir tops made them a soft bed, while the fire kept them
warm. It was settled that one of them at a time should keep awake to
put wood on the fire. Tommy had the first watch. Then he called Rob
when he thought he had watched long enough. Of course Rob got the most
watching. At last he called Tony and charged him to keep awake.

"Never fear about me; I'll be broad awake till it's time to call Tommy
again," said Tony.

Rob had built up the fire, so that Tony had not much