l to where it entered the
woods. He plunged a few yards into the heavy undergrowth and timber.
Then he retraced the entire distance backward, leaving a plain imprint
with every step. Brick's heart sank. He thought he knew what this
proceeding meant.

The two men next removed their snowshoes, and made Brick do likewise.
They put the three pairs under the luggage on the sled, and drew the
straps as tight as possible. Raikes hoisted the heavy sled to his
right shoulder. Then the start was made, in the following order: Raikes
first, Brick in the middle, and Bogle bringing up the rear, whence he
could watch every movement of the prisoner. The three followed the ledge
of rocks to its very end, and stepped off into the swift, open channel
of the brook. The water was shallow, but fearfully cold. It quickly
penetrated Brick's boots and made him shiver. Raikes and Bogle did not
seem to mind it. The latter turned and looked back.

"Well done," he muttered. "That would almost throw a bloodhound off the
trail."

"There's better luck in store for us," replied Raikes. "We'll have snow
before morning."

"I believe it," assented Bogle, glancing up at the murky sky. "Go
ahead. Don't you plant your feet anywhere but in the water, youngster."

Raikes led the way down the center of the brook, between deep and gloomy
woods. The chilling journey lasted for more than a mile. The water
sometimes took the waders almost to their knees. Brick was heartily glad
when the open lake came in sight. It was frozen hard against the shore.

The party pushed rapidly up the lake, evidently with a fixed destination
in view. Here and there were great drifts of snow, but, for the most
part, the ice was bare. The travelers left no trace behind them. Raikes
bore the heavy sled as though it was a trifling burden.

About midafternoon, when the head of the lake was several miles distant,
a lively snowgust came on. Raikes and Bogle held a short conversation.

Then they headed due east, across the lake. Before they tramped a mile
the snow had turned to a steady fall of fine flakes. It quickly covered
the ice to the depth of an inch. Raikes lowered the sled and trailed it
behind him.

It was quite dark when the eastern shore of Chesumcook was reached--so
dark that the forest was only a blurred blot against the night.

The snow was several inches deep, and still falling in a white, stealthy
cloud. There was scarcely enough wind to stir the tops of the pine
t