e rest and warmth of
camp, but still, Joshua urged them ahead continually.

He parceled out longer days and shorter nights, until even strong Peter
began to feel the strain.

Shelby was of a wiry sort, and stood hard going well; Blair was a
patient, plodding nature and wouldn't have complained if he had dropped
in his tracks; but Peter was impulsive and impatient, and he growled
frankly.

"We'll get there, Eli," he said to the guide; "don't hustle us so."

"Got to do it, Mr. Crane. I know more about this here winter that's
closing in on us, than you do. It's a bit early, but it's sure!"

So on they went, through snow that was wet and heavy, through icy sleet
that stung and cut their faces, through roaring winds that choked their
lungs, but full of indomitable courage and perseverance and of
unimpaired good nature.

And yet a week of this traveling at last began to tell on their
_morale_. Not that they grew testy or irritable, but the silences were
longer, the repartee less gay, and even buoyant Peter's spirits drooped
a little.

Joshua then took a turn as comforter.

"The worst'll soon be over," he reassured them. "Two days will get us to
Big Lake, and once we finish that, we'll be well on our way."

So on they pushed, heavily laden, traveling slowly, but all well and
sound in wind and limb.

It was the middle of October, when a bright sunny day beamed on them and
their spirits rose in consequence.

But Joshua did not smile. "Weather breeder," he said, laconically, and
looked gloomy.

The others knew better than to call him a pessimist, for when Joshua
predicted weather, it came.

And come it did. Not a squall; there was little if any wind, but a
snowfall. A steady, straight down snow that was so thick, so dense, they
could scarce see one another's forms.

"Keep a-going," directed Joshua; "and for the land's sake, don't get far
apart. Stay close together, single trail, and close!"

Thus they went on, the guide first, then Shelby, then Blair, then Peter.
There was no reason for the order they took, it merely happened that it
was so.

They kept close, as directed, but the going was hard. If one stumbled,
one must recover quickly and hasten ahead not to lose sight of the
others.

And the snow continued. Soft, white, feathery flakes, more and more
thickly falling every moment. Joshua plowed ahead, the others followed,
and each had all he could do to keep his eyes clear enough to see the
man in front.