In fact, Mukoki seemed scarcely to give a thought to his wound and Roderick was almost ready to drop in his tracks by the time a halt was called an hour before dawn.
The old warrior was confident that they were now well out of danger and a rousing camp-fire was built in the shelter of a thick growth of spruce.
"Spruce partridge in mornin'," affirmed Mukoki.

"Plenty here for breakfast." "How do you know ?" asked Rod, whose hunger was ravenous.
"Fine thick spruce, all in shelter of dip," explained the Indian.

"Birds winter here." Wabi had unpacked the furs, and the larger of these, including six lynx and three especially fine wolf skins, he divided into three piles.
"They'll make mighty comfortable beds if you keep close enough to the fire," he explained.

"Get a few spruce boughs, Rod, and cover them over with one of the wolf skins.

The two lynx pelts will make the warmest blankets you ever had." Rod quickly availed himself of this idea, and within half an hour he was sleeping soundly.