That lie in the leaves of the level lands!
They shake my heart in the deep of the night,
They call me and bless me with calm, cool hands.

_Sing, O leaves of the maple tree,_
_I hear your voice by the savage sea,_
_Hear and hasten to home and thee!_

CHAPTER XXIII

THE END OF THE TRAIL

The day on which I crossed the lake to Taku City was most glorious. A
September haze lay on the mountains, whose high slopes, orange, ruby,
and golden-green, allured with almost irresistible attraction.
Although the clouds were gathering in the east, the sunset was
superb. Taku arm seemed a river of gold sweeping between gates of
purple. As the darkness came on, a long creeping line of fire crept
up a near-by mountain's side, and from time to time, as it reached
some great pine, it flamed to the clouds like a mighty geyser of
red-hot lava. It was splendid but terrible to witness.

The next day was a long, long wait for the steamer. I now had in my
pocket just twelve dollars, but possessed a return ticket on one of
the boats. This ticket was not good on any other boat, and naturally
I felt considerable anxiety for fear it would not turn up. My dinner
consisted of moose steak, potatoes, and bread, and was most
thoroughly enjoyed.

At last the steamer came, but it was not the one on which I had
secured passage, and as it took almost my last dollar to pay for deck
passage thereon, I lived on some small cakes of my own baking, which
I carried in a bag. I was now in a sad predicament unless I should
connect at Lake Bennett with some one who would carry my outfit back
to Skagway on credit. I ate my stale cakes and drank lake water, and
thus fooled the little Jap steward out of two dollars. It was a sad
business, but unavoidable.

The lake being smooth, the trip consumed but thirteen hours, and we
arrived at Bennett Lake late at night. Hoisting my bed and luggage to
my shoulder, I went up on the side-hill like a stray dog, and made my
bed down on the sand beside a cart, near a shack. The wind, cold and
damp, swept over the mountains with a roar. I was afraid the owners
of the cart might discover me there, and order me to seek a bed
elsewhere. Dogs sniffed around me during the night, but on the whole
I slept very well. I could feel the sand blowing over me in the wild
gusts of wind which relented not in all my stay at Bennett City.

I spent literally the last cent I had on a scanty breakfast, and
then