of the next
three hours. In vain they looked for Tom and Sam. Not a trace of the
missing lads could be discovered.

"This the worst yet!" groaned Dick, as he came to a halt, all out of
breath. "I thought, all along, that they were keeping close behind us!"

"I told them to do so," returned the guide.

They had fired several shots, but the reports had failed, as we know, to
reach the ears of the missing Rovers. They were now at their wits' end
regarding what to do next.

"I'd give a hundred dollars rather than have this happen," went on Dick.
"Why, they'll starve to death if they really get lost!"

"Oh, aint you mistaken there, Dick? They have the other sled, remember;
and each o' 'em has a gun for to bring down any game as is wanted."

"That's true, and it's one comfort. But there is no telling when they
reach civilization again. Why, this forest is about as bad as some
places in the far West."

"I believe you there, lad. Well, they've got to make the best o' it. I
reckon they'll strike out for the river and come up that to Bear Pond,
over the rocks an' rapids an' all."

Supper time found the pair on the river again, four miles below Bear
Pond. It was decided that they should camp at that spot for the night.

"We'll build a big camp-fire and keep it a-going," said Dick. "Perhaps
they will see it."

"That's an idee," returned John Barrow, and before doing anything else
the camp-fire was started, in an open spot along the river bank. Dick
saw to it that it blazed up merrily, and kept piling on all the dry
brushwood he could find, until the flames shot up fully twenty feet into
the air, making the surroundings as bright as day.

For supper they cooked another of the wild turkeys, but it must be
confessed that Dick had little appetite for eating. John Barrow noticed
it, and he did his best to cheer up the youth.

"Don't worry too much, lad," he said. "Take my word on it, they'll turn
up by morning, sure. You've said yourself they've been through putty
tryin' times, in Africa and out West."

On the way to the river John Barrow had brought down several rabbits and
some birds, and these were hung up on the low branches of a nearby tree.
They proceeded to make themselves comfortable under this tree, cutting
down some cedar branches for a flooring, and banking up some other
branches and some snow to keep off the wind.

"I don't think I'll go to sleep," said Dick. "I'm going to keep the fire
piled high, so that