lone that was troubling him. There was still some
cause for fear. Of that he was certain. And why would not the Woongas
penetrate beyond this mountain? He had asked himself this question a
score of times during the last twenty-four hours, in spite of the fact
that both Mukoki and Wabigoon were quite satisfied that they were well
out of the Woonga territory.

It was growing dusk when Wabi and the old Indian returned with the meat
of the caribou. No time was lost in preparing supper, for the hunters
had decided that the next day's trail would begin with dawn and probably
end with darkness, which meant that they would require all the rest they
could get before then. They were all eager to begin the winter's hunt.
That day Mukoki's eyes had glistened at each fresh track he encountered.
Wabi and Rod were filled with enthusiasm. Even Wolf, now and then
stretching his gaunt self, would nose the air with eager suspicion, as
if longing for the excitement of the tragedies in which he was to play
such an important part.

"If you can stand it," said Wabi, nodding at Rod over his caribou steak,
"we won't lose a minute from now on. Over that country we ought to make
twenty-five or thirty miles to-morrow. We may strike our hunting-ground
by noon, or it may take us two or three days; but in either event we
haven't any time to waste. Hurrah for the big camp, I say--and our fun
begins!"

It seemed to Rod as though he had hardly fallen asleep that night when
somebody began tumbling him about in his bed of balsam. Opening his eyes
he beheld Wabi's laughing face, illuminated in the glow of a roaring
fire.

"Time's up!" he called cheerily. "Hustle out, Rod. Breakfast is sizzling
hot, everything is packed, and here you are still dreaming of--what?"

"Minnetaki!" shot back Rod with unblushing honesty.

In another minute he was outside, straightening his disheveled garments
and smoothing his tousled hair. It was still very dark, but Rod assured
himself by his watch that it was nearly four o'clock. Mukoki had already
placed their breakfast on a flat rock beside the fire and, according to
Wabigoon's previous scheme, no time was lost in disposing of it.

Dawn was just breaking when the little cavalcade of adventurers set out
from the camp. More keenly than ever Rod now felt the loss of his rifle.
They were about to enter upon a hunter's paradise--and he had no gun!
His disappointment was acute and he could not repress a confession of
his f