from hunger and hard, anxious travelling, so this food gave him much
refreshment. He ate sparingly, nevertheless, knowing that he might not
be able to procure anything more for supper. With only two cartridges
left, his outlook was far from encouraging.

When the summit of the hill was at length reached, he climbed a large
fir tree from which he was enabled to obtain an excellent view of the
surrounding country. Far off rose great snow-capped mountain peaks,
over which fleecy clouds were lazily drifting. A vast sea of forest
stretched on every side, broken here and there by placid, shimmering
lakes. But which was the one near the camp where Frontier Samson was
no doubt anxiously awaiting the wanderer's return? That was the
question which agitated Reynolds' mind. No sign of human life could he
behold, and he wondered in which direction Big Draw mining camp lay.
So completely had he lost his bearings that he had no idea which was
the right course to pursue. Anyway, it was necessary to keep on the
move, for to remain where he was meant certain death. If he must die,
he would die fighting, game to the very last. Surely beyond some of
those outstanding hills he could find a river, which would bear him out
of that wilderness maze. A high crest to the left looked promising,
and toward this he at once started.

He slept that night in a valley by a little brook which gurgled down to
a lake beyond. The remains of the rabbit served him for supper, and
where was he to obtain his next meal? He had startled several grouse
during the day, and once he detected the plunging of a moose. But
nothing came within the range of his rifle except a few noisy
squirrels, but upon these he did not dare to waste his two remaining
cartridges. In his extremity he would have welcomed the sight of a
bear, and even a grizzly at that. He could then afford to exhaust his