ands and
slipped it into the already nearly full frying pan. But Roy knew his
limitations. As he lifted the pan back upon the coals and the grease
began to sizzle and snap he knew that he had exhausted his culinary
knowledge.

"Here," he said to the Indian, "you can watch this while it cooks."

With a smile the Indian took the handle of the pan, shook it deftly a few
times, lifted the edge of the dough with skilled fingers and then settled
the pan upon a bed of coals just outside the heart of the fire and,
squatted by its side, carefully watched the baking. Meanwhile, Norman and
Paul were crunching bacon scraps while Roy was mopping his perspiring
brow with the sleeve of his sweater.

"If that's all we're going to have," broke in Norman, "I want to go
home."

But that was all they did have. The conscientious Roy, who had given the
subject much consideration, had carefully refrained from bringing any
luxuries other than tea and a little sugar. But by the time the bannock
was done--and the Indian knew how to cook it--the three boys had become
so hungry that the Indian bread was eaten ravenously. Then the party
crept into their sleeping bags at an early hour and passed the night
without discomfort.

Philip took charge of the camp in the morning and before the boys crept
out of their bags he served each of them with a cup of hot tea. When the
boys looked outside of their snow tent it seemed hardly dawn and yet it
was after eight o'clock. Philip shook his head and announced prospects of
bad weather. There was no sun and, although it was no colder than it had
been the day before, there was a gloom over all that suggested a storm.

Not one of the boys would have suggested it but the Indian did not
hesitate to warn them that they should return to the camp at once.

"I don't know how I would vote on this question," said Norman, "if we'd
had proper provisions. But I don't propose to live three more days on the
_ghost_ of salt pork. And, besides, we've got plenty of moose meat in
camp. I'm not so keen about going to the Barren Lands as I was."

This was why late that afternoon Colonel Howell was both surprised and
glad to see his young friends trot into camp.

CHAPTER XVII

THE _Gitchie Manitou_ WINS A RACE

Norman and Roy soon became restless and after a few days' idleness asked
Colonel Howell for permission to make their delayed visit to the Pointe
aux Tremble Indian camp. The day set for this second relief