stupefying drug did its work,
and he lay still, with quivering limbs.

Brick flung the handkerchief across the cave.

"Will they come to life again?" he asked, huskily.

"Of course," replied Hamp. "Don't worry. Chloroform never kills. But we
must pull out of here right away. We'll save that fifteen thousand,
Brick, if we can only get back to civilization without being caught."

"We'll do our best," replied Brick. "I can imagine Raikes and my
guardian waiting for us to-morrow night."

In great haste the boys put on their shoes, snowshoes and caps. Then
they took one of the sleds and loaded it with as many of their traps as
they could find. They were in such an excited and nervous frame of mind
that they overlooked a most important matter. They failed to bind
Sparwick. It never occurred to them that he might recover consciousness
in a short time, and pursue them.

With a glance at the two ghastly forms lying in the firelight, the lads
turned their backs on the Rock House, and scrambled down the hillside
to the trough of the valley.

It was now about midnight, and they had not the slightest idea as to the
points of the compass. Happily they discovered the faint trace of
footprints--evidently made by Raikes. So they followed them in the
reasonable belief that they would lead to the settlement of
Wytopitlock. But half an hour later the trail seemed to melt away, and
after a vain search for it the boys pushed on at random.

CHAPTER XXXV.

A PERILOUS RIDE.

When dawn came, Brick and Hamp were in a miserable plight. They were
half frozen, and nearly famished. It was impossible to tell the points
of the compass.

"Only so we don't wander back the way we came," said Hamp; "because
Sparwick may have recovered his senses by this time."

"I know," replied Brick. "That's why it wouldn't be safe to shoot a bird
or something for breakfast. I don't think we're anywhere near the Rock
House, though."

"The only thing we can do is to push on," said Hamp. "We may get an
outlook from that hill yonder."

The hill was a quarter of a mile distant, but when the boys reached it
they found no guiding clew within sight.

"I more than half believe we've been traveling south all the time," said
Brick.

"So do I," replied Hamp, "and if that's the case, we're sure to reach
civilization sooner or later."

The boys struck through the woods. They were so tired that the