Hereafter, it was agreed, only one trap-line would be visited each day, and by two of the hunters in company, both armed with rifles.

Rod saw that this meant the abandonment of his scheme for exploring the chasm, at least for the present.
Day after day now passed without evidences of new trails, and each day added to the hopes of the adventurers that they were at last to be left alone in the country.

Never had Mukoki or Wabigoon been in a better trapping ground, and every visit to their lines added to their hoard of furs.

If left unmolested it was plainly evident that they would take a small fortune back to Wabinosh House with them early in the spring.
Besides many mink, several fisher, two red foxes and a lynx, they added two fine "cross" foxes and three wolf scalps to their treasure during the next three weeks.

Rod began to think occasionally of the joy their success would bring to the little home hundreds of miles away, where he knew that the mother was waiting and praying for him every day of her life; and there were times, too, when he found himself counting the days that must still elapse before he returned to Minnetaki and the Post.
But at no time did he give up his determination to explore the chasm.
From the first Mukoki and Wabigoon had regarded this project with little favor, declaring the impossibility of discovering gold under snow, even though gold was there; so Rod waited and watched for an opportunity to make the search alone, saying nothing about his plans.
On a beautiful day late in December, when the sun rose with dazzling brightness, his opportunity came.