despondently,
"that we couldn't go back to our mountains if we wanted to do
it. We don't know any longer in what direction they lie."

"That's so," said Dick, with equal despondency showing in his
tone.

His comment was brief, because they talked but little now, and
every day were talking less. Their spirits were affected too
much to permit any excess of words. But they came finally to
rougher, much more broken country, and they saw a line of trees
on the crest of hills just under the sunset horizon. The sight,
the break in the monotony, the cheerful trees made them lift up
their drooping heads.

"Well, at any rate, here's something new," said Dick. "Let's
consider it an omen of good luck, Al."

They reached the slope, a long one, with many depressions and
hollows, containing thick groves of large trees, the heights
beyond being crowned with trees of much taller growth. They
would have gone to the summit, but they were tired with a long
day's tramp and they had not yet fully aroused themselves from
the lethargy that had overtaken them in their weary wanderings.

"Night's coming," said Albert, "so let's take to that hollow over
there with the scrub ash in it."

"All right," said Dick. "Suits me."

It was a cozy little hollow, deeply shaded by the ash trees, but
too rocky to be damp, and they did not take the trouble to light
a fire. They had been living for some time on fresh buffalo and
antelope, and had saved their jerked meat, on which they now drew
for supper.

It was now quite dark, and each, throwing his blanket lightly
around his shoulders, propped himself in a comfortable position.
Then, for the first time in days, they began to talk in the easy,
idle fashion of those who feel some degree of contentment, a
change made merely by the difference in scene, the presence of
hills, trees, and rocks after the monotonous world of the plains.

"We'll explore that country to-morrow," said Dick, nodding his
head toward the crest of the hills. "Must be something over
there, a river, a lake, and maybe trappers."

"Hope it won't make me homesick again for our valley," said
Albert sleepily. "I've been thinking too much of it, anyway, in
the last few days. Dick, wasn't that the most beautiful lake of
ours that you ever saw? Did you ever see another house as snug
as Castle Howard? And how about the Annex and the Suburban
Villa? And all those beautiful streams that came jumping down
between the mounta