American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-05-13

All ulSDl 10 cut green WOOD WITH mis-
dull ak In the snow would break us to
pieces very soon. for remember that
we haven't any food. | know how to
build a fire even In the snow-es-
peclally II l can find the dead, dry
heart Of a rotten log-but II isn't any
fun to keep IT going with green wood.
We don't want to have to spend any
more of III strength stripping off wet
bark and hacking at saplings than we
can help; and that means we'd better
do our resting in the heat of the day.
After all. it's a fight against starva-
ton more than anything else"
"Just think" the girl told them, re-
preaching herself, "if I had shot
straight at that wolf today, we could
have gone back and got his body. 1t
might have carried us through"
Neither of the others as much as
looked surprised at these amazing re-
grets over the lost, %unsavory flesh Of
a wolf. They were up against reali-
ties. and they didn't mince words.
Dan smiled at her gently, and his
great shoulder leaned against the
traces.
They moved through a dead world.
wild life that had been such a delight
to Dan In the summer and fall were
quite lacking now. The snow was
trackless. Once they thought they
saw a snowshoe rabbit, a strange
shadow on the snow, but he was toe
far away for S%nowblrd to risk a PTS
tol shot. The pound or two of flesh
would be sorely needed before the
journey was over, but the pistol car
tridges might be needed still more.
she didn't let her mind rest IN certain
possibilities wherein they might be
needed. Such thoughts stole the cour-
age from the spirit, and courage was
essential beyond all things else to
bring them through.
AS the dawn came out, they all
stood still and listened to the wolf
pack, singing on the ridge somewhere
behind them.
1t was a large pack. They couldn't
make out individual voices-neither
the more shrirl cry of the females, the
yapping of the cubs, or the low, clear
G-below-middle-C note of the males.
"If they should cross our tracks,"
Lennox suggested.
"No use worrying about that now
not until we come 10 It," Dan told
him.
The morning broke, the u rose
bright in a clear sky. But still they
trudged on. In spite of the fact that
the sled was heavy and broke through
the now crust as they tugged at 1t.
they had made good time since their
departure. But now every step was
a pronounced effort. It was the dread,
full beginning of fatigue that only
food and warmth and rest could
rectify.
"WeIl rest now" Dan told them az
ten O'Clock. 'The sun is warm enough
so that we won't need mach of a fire.
And We'll try to get FIVE hours sleep"
TOO long, If we're going to make II
out" Lennox objected.
"That leaves a wOrkday Of nineteen
hours" Dan persisted. mot any too
little. Five hours Il will be-"
He found where the snow had drift
ed against a great. dead hog, leaving
the white covering only q foot In
depth on the lee side. He began 10
scrape the snow away. then hacked AT
the log with his AK until he had pro-
cured a piece of comparatively dry
wood from It's enter. They all stood
hreathless while he lighted the little
pile Of kindling and heaped Il with
green wOod-the only wood procur.
able. But II didn't burn freely. II
smoked ftfully, threatening 70 die out.
and emitting very little heat.
But they didn't particularly care
The sun was warm above, as always
In the mountain winters Of southern
Oregon. Snowbird and Dan cleared
spaces beside the fire and slept. Len
o who had rested on the Journey,
lay on his sled and with his u%ninjured
arm tried to hack enough wood from
the saplings that Dan had cut to keep
the fire burning.
At three they got up, still tired and
aching In their bones from exposure.
Twenty-four hours had passed since
they had tasted food. and their unre-
plenlshed systems complained. There
is no better engine In the wide world
than the human body. II will stand
more neglect and abuse than the finest
steel motors ever made by the hands
Of craftsmen. A man may fast many
days II he lies quietly In one place
and keeps warm. But fasting is a
deadly proposition while pulling
sledges over the snow.
Dan was less hopeful now. His face
told what his words did not. Tho
lines cleft deeper about his lips and
eyes; and Snowbird's heart ached
when he tried to encourage her with
a smile. II was a wan, strange smile
that couldn't quite hide the first sick
ness of despair.
The shadows quickly ~iengthened-
simply leapIng over the snow from the