paths, all right."

"The Indians found the paths ahead of the traders," said Rob. "I fancy
the white men did not have such hard times learning which way to go.
The Indians must have worked backward and forward across almost every
pass in the mountains before the white men came. It makes me feel
kind of strange to be here, just where the great-grandfathers of
white people used to travel, and then to think that before their
grandfathers were born this country was all old to the red men, who
held it long before the white men came."

"Well," said John, who was of a practical turn of mind, "it's starting
in pretty well. We've got some whitefish left that we caught at Lake
Waubamun, and the grouse which we killed this afternoon will make up a
good supper. I s'pose if we were the first to cross over we might have
got antelope in here, or, anyhow, deer."

"I'm glad Uncle Dick is going along," said Jesse. "He went over with
the first engineer party, so he knows about all the bad places. We
certainly had muskeg enough yesterday and the day before. If it's any
worse ahead than it is behind it's going to be pretty tough."

"Look yonder, fellows!" said Rob, suddenly rising and pointing to the
westward.

They followed his gesture and for a moment stood silent with him.

"It's the Rockies!" said they, almost in unison.

The clouds had now broken away late in the afternoon, and for the
first time they could see across the wide expanse of forest lands
which stretched unbroken to the northward and westward, the low white
line of the great backbone of the continent--the Rockies, land of
mystery and adventure for bold souls since history began in this part
of our continent. The boys stood silent for quite a while, absorbed in
the vision of the distant hills and the thoughts which the sight
awakened in their hearts.

"I'd like to take the trail again to-night," said Rob, as though to
himself. "I can hardly wait."

"They're fine little old hills, aren't they?" said John. "I wish we
could go farther toward them, every day. I want to get over to where
the water starts west."

"Yes," added Jesse, "and see where old Yellowhead himself made his
camp a hundred years ago."

"Well, Jess," said John, "you can go as Yellowhead, Junior, maybe,
because your hair is sort of red, anyway. But I wonder where Uncle
Dick and Moise have got to; they ought to be in by now, with the extra
horses from the village."

"Trust Moise to be in on time f