And MacDonald continued in a low, troubled voice:

"Be careful, Johnny. Watch yo'rself. I'm going to take a look over into the
next valley, an' I won't be back until late. It wasn't a goat, an' it
wasn't a sheep, an' it wasn't a bear. It was two-legged! It was a man,
Johnny, an' he was there to watch this trail, or my name ain't Donald
MacDonald. Mebby he came ahead of us last night, an' mebby he was here
before that happened. Anyway, be on your guard while I look over into the
next range."

With that he struck off in the direction of the snow-ridge, and for a few
moments Aldous stood looking after the tall, picturesque figure until it
disappeared behind a clump of spruce. Swiftly he was telling himself that
it was not the hunting season, and that it was not a prospector whom they
had seen on the snow-ridge. As a matter of caution, there could be but one
conclusion to draw. The man had been stationed there either by Quade or
FitzHugh, or both, and had unwittingly revealed himself.

He turned toward Joanne, who had already begun to gather up the supper
things. He could hear her singing happily, and as he looked she pressed a
finger to her lips and threw a kiss to him. His heart smote him even as he
smiled and waved a hand in response. Then he went to her. How slim and
wonderful she looked in that glow of the setting sun, he thought. How white
and soft were her hands, how tender and fragile her lovely neck! And how
helpless--how utterly helpless she would be if anything happened to him and
MacDonald! With an effort he flung the thought from him. On his knees he
wiped the dishes and pots and pans for Joanne. When this was done, he
seized an axe and showed her how to gather a bed. This was a new and
delightful experience for Joanne.

"You always want to cut balsam boughs when you can get them," he explained,
pausing before two small trees. "Now, this is a cedar, and this is a
balsam. Notice how prickly and needlelike on all sides these cedar branches
are. And now look at the balsam. The needles lay flat and soft. Balsam
makes the best bed you can get in the North, except moss, and you've got to
dry the moss."

For fifteen minutes he clipped off the soft ends of the balsam limbs and
Joanne gathered them in her arms and carried them into the tepee. Then he
went in with her, and showed her how to make the bed. He made it a narrow
bed, and a deep bed, and he knew that Joanne was watching him, and he was
glad the tan hid