wrong. In this
case, however, it is the concrete and practical we have to grapple
with, my friend. You say you are going inland to search for that man,
and for awhile I go that way, but though I have my base camp there is
the question of provisions if you come with me."

They discussed the matter until Wyllard suggested that he could replace
any provisions his companion supplied him with from the schooner, to
which Overweg agreed, and they afterwards decided to send the Siwash
and one of the Kamtchadales on to the inlet with a letter to Dampier.
The two started next day when they found a place where the river was
with difficulty fordable, and the rest pushed on slowly into a broken
and rising country seamed with belts of thin forest here and there.
They held westwards for another week, and then one evening made their
camp among a few stunted and straggling firs. The temperature had
risen in the day-time, but the nights were cold, and when they had
eaten their evening meal they were glad of the shelter of the tent. A
small fire of resinous branches was sinking into a faintly glowing mass
close outside of it.

The flap was, however, drawn back, and Wyllard, who lay facing the
opening, could see a triangular patch of dim blue sky with a sharp
sickle moon hanging low above a black fir branch. The night was clear
and still, but now and then there was a faint elfin sighing among the
stunted trees that died away again. He was then, while still
determined, moodily discouraged, for they had seen no sign of human
life during the journey, and his reason told him that he might search
for years before he found the bones of the last survivor of the party.
Still, he meant to search while Overweg was willing to supply him with
provisions.

By and bye he saw Charly sharply raise his head and gaze towards the
opening.

"Did you hear anything outside?" he asked.

"It would be the Kamtchadales," said Wyllard.

"They went back a mile or two to lay some traps."

"Then," said Wyllard, decisively, "it couldn't have been anything."

Charly did not appear satisfied, and it seemed to Wyllard that Overweg
was also listening, but there was deep stillness outside now, and he
dismissed the matter from his mind. A few minutes later it, however,
seemed to him that a shadowy form appeared out of the gloom among the
firs and faded into it again. This struck him as very curious, since
if it had been one of the Kamtchadales he would have