"If there was no smoke it looks as though there was no one there, I should say."
"It sure looks that way, but I reckon we'll know before long."
In less than ten minutes they heard Lucky shout for them to come.
"That settles that part of it," Bob declared as they started.
"Sure does," Jack agreed.
In another moment they were through the fringe of trees and in plain sight of the little cabin which stood beneath the branches of one of the largest spruces they had ever seen. Lucky was standing a few feet from the door and they could see that the snow was banked nearly half way to its top.
"And there are no tracks except his," Jack declared as they advanced.
"No one home?" Bob asked trying to conceal his disappointment.
"Non, no one home," Lucky echoed.
The three looked at each other for a full minute before anyone spoke again.