mmy and Sandy had disappeared, he had no idea

id not return. When daylight came, Will built

n the forest about the time the snow began falling, and had so

in a short time, hungr

ough the snow-covered thicket, and turned

approaching. When the fellow reached the camp he made a quick and rather impertinent

said, not without a c

e boys?" aske

you?" dem

was the sh

u ask abou

one of the boys who evidently belonged t

and why do you come here looking for h

taken place on the previous evening, a

nd when you returned they had disapp

re n

oy away," he

speak of your s

boy!" was

yourself?" inquired Will. "What's the use of standing there

im into the forest with him. His explanation was not very clear as he talked more mongrel French than English,

ter a moment's deliberation, "I suppose you

nd pointed towa

!" he said. "B

the half-breed looked sullenly on. The boy then dressed hi

a which way to go

ted away to

y," he said. "They

he snow together, Will caught the half-breed

h the wilderness, each suspicious and watchful of the other. After walking an hour or mo

oys had been caught in the storm and had built a fire. He showed, too, that a third boy had come plunging through the snow, nea

those boys was your c

answered that h

your friend and George started away together and got lost. Then your boy came back and found Tommy and Sa

nd the two walked on together following the

ver, Pierre turned frequently to left and right, explaining th

of the fire. There was no one in sight. Will examined the slopi

n here somewher

ly, and the two began a careful ex

After a time a shout from Pierre drew Will to his side. The fellow was peering int

are hidden in the

he thought the boys might have escaped into the inner cav

in after them,

ing, he managed to make his way through the opening. He then found himself in a passage-like place, sloping upw

ing great stones against the mouth of the na

Pierre. "You br

oing that for?"

ith eyes that resembled those of a snake

l my boy!

trap, is it?"

nswered by a chu

ay," Will threatened, "I'll fill y

is gun stock significan

rn floor and against the opening, and turned a

o bring him there for the purpose which had developed. He understood, too, that if there were other openings to the cavern, Pie

ration actually broke out on the boy's brow as he considered t

chums. In fact, it seemed to him possible that they, too, had been in

tirely unknown to the boy. It will be remembered that he knew nothing whatever of

recently been supplied with a new battery, and he knew that it

re appeared to be no way in which the journey could be extended u

e cross passage. Here, too, he came upon a blank wall. While he stood listening a heavy, rumbling v

rd. At first Will could not distinguish the words used, but directly his h

st, you old stiff, i

beat frantically on the wall and threw his light hither and yon

an answering sound