o begging at once, and then come back and
get in some wood, for there will not be time to work in the shaft, only
get out the snow."

"Go on, then, and you will succeed."

"Doubtful," was the reply.

Soon after, Dallas, with a sack fastened across one shoulder like a
scarf, and his gun over his shoulder, opened the door. "Cheer up, old
chap!" he cried. "I shan't be long," and forcing his way out, he closed
the door, plunged forward, and struggled waist deep through the snow
which had drifted up against the hut.

Farther on it lay less heavy, and pausing for a few moments to take a
look round beneath the starlit sky, he made his way along the border of
the creek--carefully on the look-out for pine-stumps, the remains of the
dense scrub which had been cut down by the gold-seekers--in the
direction of one of the lights dotting the creek here and there, those
nearest being lanterns, but farther on a couple of fires were burning.

"Morning, mate," said a cheery voice, as he came upon two men busily
shovelling snow from a pit beneath a rough shelter of poles, while a hut
was close by. "You've got plenty of this, I s'pose?"

"Nearly buried. I say, we're awfully short of meal and bacon. Can you
sell us some?"

The two men leaned on their shovels.

"We're so desp'rate low ourselves, mate," said the one who had not
spoken. "We don't like to say no. But look here, go and try round the
camp and see what you can do. Some of them's a deal better off than we
are. Get it of them. If you can't, come back here and we'll do what we
can. Eh, mate?"

"Of course," came in a growl; "but no humbug, Mr Adams."

"What do you mean?"

"Why, this. When it comes to eating we, as it says in the song, you
must play fair and draw lots with the rest of us."

"Never fear," said Dallas merrily, joining in the laugh; "but we've got
the dogs to eat first if we can't get any moose. There ought to be some
tracks seen after this."

"So plaguy dark, mate, for hunting and shooting; but talk about dogs,
did you hear that brute howling during the storm?"

"Oh, yes, I heard him," said Dallas.

"He soon gave in, though. I believe some of the others hunted him down
and didn't stop to draw lots. What hungry beggars they are!"

Dallas trudged on slowly, calling at claim after claim on his way down
the creek, but always with the same result--friendly willingness, but
want of means.

Then he reached the spot where one of the fires had