r at the bottom of a vast coulee that lay
athwart his path. While his biscuits were baking he bagged a couple of
prairie-chickens. One he ate, and one he carried along with him, "for
Clare's supper."

At about four o'clock in the afternoon, that is to say, the time of the
second spell, he struck the edge of the bench again, and once more the
valley was spread below him. He searched it eagerly. The forest covered
it like a dark mat, and the surface of the river was only visible in
spots here and there. He found what he was looking for, and his heart
raised a little song; a thin thread of smoke rising above the trees
alongside the river, and at least a couple of miles in his rear.

"I'll get him now!" he told himself.

He debated whether to hasten directly to the river, or continue further
over the prairie. He decided that the margin of safety was not yet quite
wide enough, and took another line along the bench.

Three hours later he came out on the river's edge with a heart beating
high with hope. The placid empty reach that opened to his view told him
nothing, of course, but he was pretty sure that Imbrie was safely below
him. His principal fear was that he had come too far; that Imbrie might
not make it before dark. The prospect of leaving Clare unprotected in
his hands through the night was one to make Stonor shudder. He decided
that if Imbrie did not come up by dark, he would make his way down
alongshore until he came on their camp.

Meanwhile he sought down-stream for a better point of vantage. He came
to a rapid. The absence of tracks on either side proved positively that
Imbrie had not got so far as this. Stonor decided to wait here. The man
would have to get out to track his dug-out up the swift water, and
Stonor would have him where he wanted him. Or if it was late when he got
here, he would no doubt camp.

Stonor saw that the natural tracking-path was across the stream; on the
other side also was the best camping-spot, a shelving ledge of rock with
a low earth bank above. In order to be ready for them, therefore, he
stripped and swam across below the rapid, towing his clothes and his
pack on an improvised raft, that he broke up immediately on landing.
Dressing, he took up his station behind a clump of berry-bushes that
skirted the bank. Here he lay at full length with his gun in his hands.
He made a little gap in the bushes through which he could command the
river for a furlong or so.

He lay there with