“Hal explained how we had come to be there—and how grateful we would be to get away. The squaw managed to tell us that she would return to her tribe at once and find out whether or not we would be welcomed among them.
“Hal made her understand how much money she would have if she would help us reach Forty-Mile, where he had ‘much money’ waiting for him in the bank.
“The squaw had heard of ‘Old Hal,’ the guide, and was evidently surprised to find him lost while so near the trail.
“‘With this kid, I couldn’t take any chance at hunting for the trail any longer,’ he explained, ‘but decided to follow the most sensible course, and wait until Spring!’
“We offered the squaw the bear-pelts if she would return with help and rescue us. In the native manner of ‘hearing without speaking’ she stalked away, and we were not sure as to whether she would return or not.
“In a few days, however, we again heard the sound of a shot which came from the direction of the woods, and after forcing the door open we found the squaw with two young men from her tribe.
“‘Trail—him all right,’ mumbled the squaw.
“We found the weather clear enough to enable us to travel, so we packed all of our belongings upon the sledge, leaving the canoe in the snowbank, where it lay hidden against the house. The bear-steaks were almost gone, but Hal showed the squaw where the other food was buried, and told her she could use the hut any time she liked. She nodded, and as soon as the dogs were hitched to the sledge, we proceeded on our journey, guided by the squaw and the two boys.
“We had only a few hours in which to travel, but in that time we reached the cave the squaw had told us of, and there spent the night. The following morning, we continued the journey, reaching the village before dark.
“The settlement was small, comprising but a dozen families and about six huts, but it seemed like a town to us, who had been lost all Winter with nothing but wild animals and snow around us.