He cautioned his friends that he might be out-three or four days at a time, and that they need take no alarm about him unless his absence became extremely long.

The winter deepened, the snow melted, and another and greater storm came, freezing the surface, again making the snowshoes necessary.

Henry decided now to take a scout alone to the northward, and, as the others bad long since grown into the habit of accepting his decisions almost without question, he started at once.

He was well equipped with his rifle, double barreled pistol, hatchet, and knife, and he carried in addition a heavy blanket and some jerked venison.

He put on his snowshoes at the foot of the cliff, waved a farewell to the four heads thrust from "The Alcove" above, and struck out on the smooth, icy surface of the creek.