Why, man, this storm may go for three days, and you
would be stiff long before anyone could find you. No, no, I confess our
measures may have seemed somewhat--ah--abrupt, but, believe me, they
were necessary, and in a day or two you will acknowledge that I am in
the right of it. Meantime let's trust each other, and there is my hand
on it, Cameron."
There was no resisting the frank smile, the open manner of the man, and
Cameron took the offered hand with a lighter heart than he had known for
the last twelve hours.
"Now, then, that's settled," cried the trader, springing to his feet.
"Cameron, you can pack this stuff together while Little Thunder and I
dig out our bunch of horses. They will be half frozen and it will be
hard to knock any life into them."
It was half an hour before Cameron had his packs ready, and, there being
no sign of the trader, he put on his heavy coat, mitts, and cap and
fought his way through the blizzard, which was still raging in full
force, to the bunk-house, a log building about thirty feet long and half
as wide, in which were huddled the horses and ponies to the number of
about twenty. Eight of the ponies carried pack saddles, and so busy were
Raven and the Indian with the somewhat delicate operation of assembling
the packs that he was close upon them before they were aware.
Pages:
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394