he
trapper's life. Their minds were too full of anxiety to permit room for
ordinary enjoyment, and they hardly spoke as they pressed forward in
single file.

In this way they continued for two hours or more. At intervals they
would take it in turn to act as leader and handle the axe; but they did
not allow a pause in the pushing forward, until at last Bob called a
halt, feeling that a rest had been earned.

"We ought to be getting near the river again by this time," he remarked.

"That's what I've been thinking," said Alf. "You see, it was such a
sharp westward turn that the river took after we crossed the ford, that
I don't think we can be far off now. It must come round to the east
again."

"Yet there's no sound of it----"

"That is what's puzzling me. We've covered a couple of miles at the
least."

"And done enough work for four," added Bob. "However, let's get to work
again. The sooner there, the sooner this job will be over."

"Thank goodness it looks pretty clear ahead now--more pine trees and
less of the beastly scrub," said Holden.

Once more the boys pressed forward; but, although they continued the
march for quite another hour, apparently they were as far off as ever
from the river, for they neither sighted water nor came within hearing
distance of the object of their search.

Again they stopped and faced one another with perplexed expressions.

"I'll tell you what it is, old man--we've missed the way," said Alf.

But Bob was never ready to admit defeat of any sort.

"Nonsense," he said. "We've kept a fairly straight course."

"Or thought we have. To my mind, if we'd kept straight on we ought to
have reached the river by this time. As it is, there is no sign of it."

"That's true. Except for being free from the brushwood, we might almost
be where we started. It looks much the same--no slope or any other sign
to suggest that we are nearer to the water."

"What's to be done?"

"I see nothing for it but to go back again and follow the river, as we
were doing in the first place. We were fools to think of taking short
cuts. The other way may have seemed longer, but it would have been a
deal shorter in the long-run."

Both the boys were feeling rather fagged by this time, for their trudge
had been of an exceptionally fatiguing nature. But each kept the thought
to himself, and cheerfully stepped out with the intention of retracing
his steps. It was a disappointment and irksome enough; yet there w