ar Indian," said Albert thoughtfully, "but it's safe to
say that wherever he is he's planning and acting."

"At any rate," said Dick, "we're not likely to know it, whatever
it is, for a long time, and we won't bother trying to guess about
it."

It hailed for an hour and then changed to rain again, pouring
down in great steadiness and volume. Dick opened the window a
little way once, but the night was far advanced, and it was
pitchy black outside. They let the coals die down to a glowing
bed, and then, wrapping themselves in their blankets, they slept
soundly all through the night and the driving rain, their little
cabin as precious to them as any palace was ever to a king.

Albert, contrary to custom, was the first to awake the next
morning. A few coals from the fire were yet alive on the hearth,
and the atmosphere of the room, breathed over and over again
throughout the night, was close and heavy. He threw back the
window shutter, and the great rush of pure cold air into the
opening made his body thrill with delight. This was a physical
pleasure, but the sight outside gave him a mental rapture even
greater. Nothing was falling now, but the rain had turned back
to hail before it ceased, and all the earth was in glittering
white. The trees in the valley, clothed in ice, were like lace
work, and above them towered the shining white mountains.

Albert looked back at Dick. His brother, wrapped in his blanket,
still slept, with his arm under his head and his face toward the
hearth. He looked so strong, so enduring, as he lay there
sleeping soundly, and Albert knew that he was both. But a
curious feeling was in the younger boy's mind that morning. He
was glad that he had awakened first. Hitherto he had always
opened his eyes to find Dick up and doing. It was Dick who had
done everything. It was Dick who had saved him from the
Sioux; it was Dick who had practically carried him over the first
range; Dick had found their shelter in the pine alcove; Dick had
labored day and night, day after day, and night after night,
bringing the stores over the mountain from the lost train, then
he had found their new home in the enchanted valley, which Albert
persisted in calling it, and he had done nearly all the hard work
of repairing and furnishing the cabin.

It should not always be so. Albert's heart was full of gratitude
to this brother of his who was so brave and resourceful, but he
wanted to do his share. The fe