The Indian said there were bluffs near the post, and they wouldn't haul their cordwood farther than necessary!" They stood silent for a few moments, overcome by relief.

They had a guide to shelter and safety! When they had gathered breath, Blake steadied Harding, who found standing difficult.
"We must make a move and hustle all we can," he said eagerly.

"It will be dark in half an hour, and the snow won't take long in filling up the trail." The risk of missing the factory, which might be near at hand, was not to be faced, and they pulled themselves together for a last effort, Blake and Benson, breathing hard as they dragged Harding along.

The light was rapidly going; now that they had changed their course the snow lashed their faces, making it difficult to see, and they plodded forward with lowered heads and eyes fixed on the guiding-line.

It grew faint in places, and vanished altogether after a while.