d out to reach its
summit.

Meanwhile the road thither lay through a deep forest; down and along
ravines; steep climbs of slippery rocks; and over masses of ferns and
underbrush. After Captain Lem's halt and harangue they all became
silent. They had all they could do to keep in their saddles, and, as
he had prophesied, the animals they rode chose each a slightly
diverging route.

However, they frequently called out to one another, their gay halloos
and yodels echoing along the mountain side, to the glad assurance of
themselves and the affright of the forest wildings. But the lads who had
hoped to sight some big game, preferably a live grizzly and had brought
their guns with them, were disappointed in that. Nothing fiercer than a
coyote crossed their path. It was as if the forest had anticipated their
invasion and put itself on guard.

Dorothy obeyed Captain Lem's advice implicitly. She did not try to guide
Zaraza but let the pretty creature follow her own will, so long as that
will pointed straight upward. This gave the girl time to study the
flowers and ferns along the way and sometimes she slipped from her
saddle to gather and closely inspect them. She did not herself call out
but contented herself with listening to the shouts of the others, and,
for some reason, her thoughts were more upon the missing Jim than they
had been of late.

"Oh! how that boy would like this ride! How he'd pull out his little
hammer and peg away at these wonderful rocks! What specimens he'd
collect! and how his sharp eyes would see every little bird and beast
that moves through this wilderness! Oh! I hope, I hope, he is still
alive and safe. If I could only see him!"

Suddenly, the forest seemed strangely still. Zaraza stopped to breathe
and Dorothy listened keenly for the halloo of her mates. Hearing none
she ventured on a little shout herself which, low as it was, awoke a
thousand deafening echoes all about her. Or so it seemed. With a thrill
of horror, she remembered how Molly had once been lost in a far away
Nova Scotian wood, and the girl's description of her terror. She wished
she hadn't thought of that tale now. But, of course, this was quite
different. They were many in this company, ten all told, and somebody
must be very near. It would all come right. She mustn't be a goose and
get frightened just because, for a moment, she heard nobody. Yet, Alfy's
words rang in her head:

"Seems if there was nothing happens but somebody g