l.

"He looked carefully around for some landmark to guide him, and saw,
some miles further on, what he believed to be a blazed spot. So he
directed his man to paddle for that place.

"When Hal was about ten feet in advance of us, and as I sat in the stern
of our canoe, I saw the man paddling our canoe suddenly raise a
rifle--where he got it no one knows--take aim, and shoot. It was all
done so quickly that I could scarcely move. Hal always held his revolver
ready to enforce obedience from his men, and the moment I heard the shot
I saw his arm jerk spasmodically and his revolver fly out and fall in
the bottom of the canoe. At the same time I tore my revolver out of my
belt and covered the man who had shot.

"I was so occupied in this that I had no time to see what Hal was doing,
but I heard him yell: 'Go overboard this second or I'll shoot you dead!'

"I immediately followed suit, and cried: 'Go overboard, and swim ashore,
or I'll shoot you!'

"The man sat and stared at me for a moment, as he never dreamed I had
the spirit to do what I had. I was so nervous, and my heart seemed to
bulge out in my throat so that I could hardly swallow. The man still sat
and looked at his pal, who had jumped overboard and was swimming for
shore. I never knew how it happened, for I had no idea of shooting him,
but in that moment that he turned his look from me to his pal my fingers
twitched with dread, and the revolver rang forth its shot, and the
fellow fell into the water. I was so frightened that I clung to the neck
of the dog and hid my eyes. Meantime, the fellow who was swimming saw
what had occurred, and went under water to escape being shot.

"Soon Hal had his canoe alongside, and said: 'Step in here, Kid.'

"My canoe was fastened to the other one, and the transfer made without
further mishap. I looked about for the swimmer, but could see nothing of
him. He might have drowned or gone ashore.

"We managed to travel pretty well until night, when we again camped on
shore, but Hal seemed worried at the strangeness of the land.

"After a few days' futile seeking for the trail, we felt a sudden chill
in the air. Hal was concerned, and sought in every direction for some
familiar object.

"We made camp one night while the dogs sniffed ravenously about for
food, for our stock had run so low that Hal had to economize to make it
last another day. The next morning I awoke to find snow blowing in every
direction. The change was so unl