He turned hurriedly to carry out his own purpose, when his comrade laid
his hand on his arm and detained him.

"I think, Warry," he said, in a low voice, "that ye've forgot one
matter--yer fayther, mither, and Dot."

"Gracious! how came I to do that? Here I set out to hunt for them, and
when they were as good as found I turn my back upon them, and think only
of my own safety."

"Ye are excoosable, since ye have been upsit by the thrifling
occurrences that have been going on this day."

"Take me to the spot where you left their trail," added Warren, with
unusual excitement, "and we'll never leave it until we join them; we
shall escape or die together."

The youths moved like those who knew that the question of life and death
must be settled within a few minutes.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE LAST HOPE.

The young ranchers had to go but a short distance, when they struck the
trail left by their friends. The snow rendered it so distinct that the
first glance told the story. Warren saw the track made by the feet of
his father, mother, and little Dot. The consciousness that he was so
near them profoundly affected the son.

"There are several strange things about this," he remarked to Tim,
halting for a minute before taking up the search in earnest; "we found
it almost impossible for a horse to clamber up the ridge, and yet their
two ponies have been to the very crest."

"That's because they found an easy way to do it from the ither side,"
was the sensible comment of Tim Brophy.

"Of course, but father is away off the track. More than half a day has
passed since he left home, and he is hardly a quarter of the way to
Fort Meade."

"He is just as near as we are, and he didn't start any sooner," was the
significant remark of Tim Brophy.

"But that was his destination when he set out, while our business has
been to find him."

"With no moon or stars to guide him last night, what means had he of
keeping to the right coorse?"

The question gave its own answer. The cause of this wandering was so
self-evident that Warren Starr would not have asked it had he not been
in such a state of mental agitation as a person feels when certain he is
on the eve of some critical event.

Reasoning with something like his usual coolness, the young rancher
thought he saw the explanation of other matters which had puzzled him,
but he bestowed little thought upon them, for his whole ambition for the
time was to reach his parents.