The evening world., 1916-02-18

uh ynh tallcin' like that 2
You're goin' all the way,
same as the rest Of us,
Bssos upi It's only another day--two
st the most Why. wen carry yuh on
our backs. Il we have to-"
Howe passed up Bucks cheerful
prophecy ~ II II wers Of little mo-
msnt and focused his sombre gaze
on ytne Ape.
You Internal monstrosity," he COOL
ly said. II don't exactly know why
lay EN- down cheerful right here in
the snow, II could cut a hole In the
lee and shove you through frst."
II was the lengthiest speech he had
uttered In q week, and when It was
done he foil to staring into the heart
Of the fre. Buck, close beside him,
also dropped into a brown study.
I've got the idea," he suddenly
exclaimed. 'T'll fix a travois-ever see
onsf-and we'l make this big stiff
that's caused all the trouble haul him.
He can't make IL afoot, that's a cinch.
Yuh oan see he's about all in"
buok set US to baggllng or sapiings
stupendous contract for us, even
with the skinning knife mulcted from
me Ape at the time of his capture
and took up his rifle and plunged
into the woods. He needed a hide to
make travels. he explained.
He was back in a couple of hours
with a hide, and saddle Of caribou
meat on his hack. The green hide no
lashed on two poles In such a man
ner that It formed a sort of ohairlike
sea. another shorter stick he put on
as crossbar. to keep Howe's weight
rom drawing the long poles together.
When done IL was a simple enough
arrangement; like litter, one end
resting on the broad shoulders OF the
Ape and the other trailing In the
snow.
The Ape came near baking outright
when he sensed the modus operandl.
pud. contrariwise, Howe was pleased
as II he enjoyed being a burden on
his enemy. Not that he said anything z
OF the sort, but from the expression
on n.s face when Buck ordered the
ape TO pick up the travels end,
The Ape sullenly refused, more, I
think. through dread Of having Howe
so perilously close behind than for
any other reason. Buck merely clicked
back the hammer of his gun with
oninous elaboration, and the Ape
bent to his task with a groan. The
rest Of that day Howe literally rode
on the Apes back, save for such times
as he was forced to walk for fear Of
freezing.
When dark overlook us that eve
ming we were in the shadow of a
slopiny bank that ran down to the
lake shore. bare OF shelter or wood
So we were forced to climb toilfully
10 the tmbered crest to make our
camp.
We made a good supper of the
caribou loin. and huddled about the
weloorne ire In better spirits than we
had boasted Of for many days; for
just before sundown Buck had point
ed south to where a wide mo uthed
vauey. barely visible In the waning
light. opened into the lake.
see yonderl The post sits up In
that big draw. Yuh can buckle your
belts hole tighter and step out brisk
In the mornin'," ne cheerfully in
formed US. III We make good time to-
morrow We can sleep at Resolution
IN, good wool blankets, and with a
roof over our heads. Holy smoke!
Won't hot coffee and real tobacco
taste good once more. I'd sure give
Q heap for q smoke right now"
Perhaps because we were nearing
our goal and felt less the need of
vigilance; perhaps 1t was the natural
outcome of pure physical weakness
even Bucks tanned face was pinched
and drawn. and his step laggard.
those last days. and Dick and / were
VINO had padded gaily down the
Peace In the drowsy Indian summer
but We sat blinking around that Are,
and one by one fell fast asleep, our
hands clasped over our guns, our
tired heads sunk forward on our
breasts; so sat Buck and Dick when
/ wakened with start. And We
three had the fire to ourselves-Howo
and the Ape were gone.
] wakened the others with a violent
hand. Dick stared about him In
sleepy bewilderment, but Buck com
pretended at a glance. Beyond the
halo cast by the red embers, gun in
, hand and muttering angrily, he cir
oled the camp till he came upon their
trail-a double track, plain as print
In the misty sheen cast upon the snow
by the glowing Northern Lights and a
host OF cold, winking starse The
trend of II was toward the lake.
At the top OF the steep slope that
he halted for an instant. One track
turned from the brink. back to the
north In the shadows cast by a fringe
OF nodding spruce; the other-there
was no other track. only from the
little patch OF blurred footprints ran
shallow groove through the drifts,
down, down below.
Buck pointed significantly to black
splotch In the white at the foot of the
hill; then he dropped fiat and slid to-
bogganwise to the bottom. and we.
with forebodings Of tragedy. followed
closely after.
He lay in an ugly heap where bank
and beach met. and In the misty light
we could not be sure which II was
till we turned his face up to the
stars. II was Howe. and. with the
bandages freshly torn and the old
wounds bruised anew. he was not a
pretty sight to see; but he moaned
and moved feebly when we lifted
him UP: he was alive, and for that
y, gave heartfelt thanks--even while
7 o remembered that the Apo was
broad to plan new deviltry.