It was not yet noon when he
started over Mukoki's trap-line.

Left to his own uninterrupted thoughts, Rod's mind was once more
absorbed in his scheme of exploring the mysterious chasm. He had noticed
during his inspection from the top of the ridge that the winter snows
had as yet fallen but little in the gloomy gulch between the mountains,
and he was eager to attempt his adventure before other snows came or the
fierce blizzards of December filled the chasm with drifts. Later in the
afternoon he brought forth the buckskin bag from a niche in the log wall
where it had been concealed, and one after another carefully examined
the golden nuggets. He found, as he had expected, that they were worn to
exceeding smoothness, and that every edge had been dulled and rounded.
Rod's favorite study in school had been a minor branch of geology and
mineralogy, and he knew that only running water could work this
smoothness. He was therefore confident that the nuggets had been
discovered in or on the edge of a running stream. And that stream, he
was sure, was the one in the chasm.

But Rod's plans for an early investigation were doomed to
disappointment. Late that day both Mukoki and Wabi returned, the latter
with a red fox and another mink, the former with a fisher, which
reminded Rod of a dog just growing out of puppyhood, and another story
of strange trails that renewed their former apprehensions. The old
Indian had discovered the remnants of the burned jackpine, and about it
were the snow-shoe tracks of three Indians. One of these trails came
from the north and two from the west, which led him to believe that the
pine had been fired as a signal to call the two. At the very end of
their trap-line, which extended about four miles from camp, a single
snow-shoe trail had cut across at right angles, also swinging into the
north.

These discoveries necessitated a new arrangement of the plans that had
been made the preceding night. Hereafter, it was agreed, only one
trap-line would be visited each day, and by two of the hunters in
company, both armed with rifles. Rod saw that this meant the abandonment
of his scheme for exploring the chasm, at least for the present.

Day after day now passed without evidences of new trails, and each day
added to the hopes of the adventurers that they were at last to be left
alone in the country. Never had Mukoki or Wabigoon been in a better
trapping ground, and every visit to their lines added to their h