nes. The Dacre boys, broadened and deepened by their adventurous lives, were not as cast down over the disaster that had befal

em, they yet found time to notice the sights about them and to talk as they moved a

t command of his faculties as his elder brother. He was able even to crack a joke now and then with seeming indifference to the object

hem and if possible hand him over to the authorities. Failing this, Tom found himself possessed of a grim, bulldog determination to make the man give up the spoils. As for the man himse

k was for pressing right on without stop

ves out," he said; "we shall work all th

n, however, at the foot of a tree and loosening his snowshoe thongs. Thi

timber that has been lying on the ground is never such good kindling as upstanding deadwood, because it is almost sure to be damp. While Ja

om filled the pot with snow and then set a match to the pile of shavings. They had been ra

smoke curled merrily away as the wood crackled joyously. There is magic in a fire in the woods. In a tri

with tea added to the boiling water. It was sweetened with some of a precious store of molasses, carried in a bottle and used as a special lu

a satisfactory meal. By way of dessert, each boy stuffed some dried apricots into his mouth to chew as they m

a spot where he had paused to camp. He must have eaten whatever refreshment he had while riding on

de of this sign there was nothing but the sled marks to guide them. One thing about the trail that has not yet been mentioned is that the man was back-trailing. That is t

n in the vicinity during the night, had entirely wiped out the "

re on his journey to their camp, but they cared little for this. It was hi

hat the animal had been traveling fast. This looked ominous, for the wolverine is not, as a rule, a

bout turning back. They were far too nervy for that, and, having started out, such an i

ow. Half an hour later only a pale twilight lingered about them, for

of light, began to shine. The snow turned a dull, steely blue as the light shut in. A s

Against its wavering, shimmering, unearthly splendor every twig on every tree stood out as though carved in bla

ward. The great solitudes appeared to be composing themselves for sleep. On the hard, frozen surface the boys' snowshoes creaked almost m

ear the ice "crack-cracking!" with that startling sound that is one of the most mystic of the voices of the woods. It grew bitterly cold. Tom began to look anxiously about him. They must find a lodging for the night. The qu

that sent an involuntary chill runnin

ut of the silence it was borne with a chilling forboding to them. It was a long-flung, indescribably fo

bells. Then, while they stood listening, involuntarily brought to a swift, st

aid Tom in a low, ra

gers of the big timbers were ab