at I was to
treat the landmarks he gave me just as I did the blazed trees in the
forest, making sure of another's position before I left one, and,
satisfied at last, he gave me a nod of the head, and said abruptly--

"Off as soon as you can."

"I should like to go with you, Mayne," said Mr John, eagerly.

"No, no! Nonsense!" cried Mr Raydon. "I cannot spare you, John. I
may want you to shoot down a few hundreds of the enemy."

Mr John took these words so seriously that I could not help laughing,
when he saw them in the right light, came with me to my quarters,
watched me make a good meal, and then walked with me to the slope
beneath the dome, where he shook hands and stood to see me climb.

"Be careful, my boy," he said, at parting. "It is very steep and
dangerous."

I laughed, and ran up the side feeling like a goat. There was something
very delightful in the excursion, after the confinement within the
block-house, and in the glorious sunshine and the bright clear air, I
sprang forward, turning from time to time, as I climbed higher, to wave
my hand to him, and look down on Fort and valley, till the inequalities
of the wild, stony side hid him from my view.

I felt in high spirits, for this task made me think that Mr Raydon was
beginning to trust me again; and as I went on I thought about Mrs John
and her gentle words, as she told me all would come right in the end.
Then I began to think about poor Gunson, and wondered whether he would
soon be better, as I hoped and prayed that he would.

This made me feel low-spirited for a while, but the glorious scene
around me chased these gloomy thoughts away, for there before me in the
distance was the great pine towering up above its fellows at the edge of
the forest.

"Oh, it's easy enough to find one's way," I said, and excited by my task
I whistled, sang, and shouted, to have my voice come echoing back.

"I want Esau over here," I said aloud, as I shifted the heavy rifle from
one shoulder to the other. "How he would enjoy it!" Then I began
thinking of how attentive Mr Raydon was in his stern, grave way to poor
Gunson, and it struck me that he must feel a great respect for him, or
he would not be so careful, seeing how he disliked it all, in keeping
guard over his gold claim.

Then I had to think of my task, and climb over some rough ground, till I
reached the first trees, which very soon hid the huge pine, and found it
to be not quite at the edge of the fo