The valley purred louder with the music of the swollen streamlets.

From the mountain-tops a half of last night's snow was gone, and to Langdon the flowers seemed taller and more beautiful.

The air that drifted through the valley was laden with the sweetness and freshness of the morning, and over and through it all the sun shone in a warm and golden sea.
They headed up the creek-bottom, bending over from their saddles to look at every strip of sand they passed for tracks.

They had not gone a quarter of a mile when Bruce gave a sudden exclamation, and stopped.

He pointed to a round patch of sand in which Thor had left one of his huge footprints.
Langdon dismounted and measured it.
"It's he!" he cried, and there was a thrill of excitement in his voice.
"Hadn't we better go on without the horses, Bruce ?" The mountaineer shook his head.