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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
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