. The smoke of the cooking-fire hung in heavy blue
wreaths about the tent, and a thick rain beat into the faces of the
men.

The few weeks they had spent in the wilderness had made a change in
them. Grenfell had clearer eyes and skin, and was steadier on his
legs, for he had slaked his thirst with river-water for some time now.
Weston was a little leaner, and his face was grimmer than it had been,
for the whimsical carelessness had faded out of it. Both of them were
dressed largely in rags, and their stout boots were rent; and they
were already very wet, though that was no great matter, as they were
used to it. There are a good many rivers among those ranges, and no
bridges. They were then glancing at the horse which was cropping the
harsh grass of the swamp. It was of the Cayuse Indian breed, and not
particularly valuable, but it could be sold for something if they
succeeded in taking it back to the settlements. This, however, did not
appear to Weston very probable.

"Short hobbles," suggested Grenfell. "There's grass enough to last
awhile, and it's likely that we'll strike this way back. It's a long
way to the settlements, and there'll be quite a load of provisions and
things to pack."

They had made a cache of most of their provisions the previous night,
after searching in vain for a route by which they could lead the horse
over the range in front of them; but Weston shook his head.

"No," he said, "we may not come back this way after all, and a horse
is pretty sure to get a hobble of any kind foul round something in the
bush. I can't have the beast held up to starve."

"Well," said Grenfell, "I guess you understand what leaving it loose
means?"

Weston did. He recognized that if they ever regained that valley they
would have to push on for the settlements through a most difficult
country, under a heavy load, and even then leave behind them many
things which might have ministered to their comfort. Still, he was
resolute.

"The beast could find its food somehow if we left it loose, and it's
quite probable that it would work down along the back trail to the
settlements when the grass round here gets scarce," he said. "In any
case we'll give it a chance for its life."

Grenfell made a sign of acquiescence.

"Have it your way. If we ever come back to this cache again, and I'm
played out, as I probably will be, you'll have the pleasure of packing
down everything we want."

Weston did not answer, but there wa