“No fear,” Tom Kennedy assured her. “The first few days of trail are like a paved road to an oldtimer. It’s the end that counts. We—”
“Look!” Florence broke in, pointing away before them. “The Phantom Leader.”
“Yes! Yes!” At-a-tak echoed. “The Phantom Leader.”
“There is something,” Jodie agreed. “Something white. It moves. Now it is gone.”
“No! No! There it is,” Florence’s voice was eager. “Jodie! Grandfather! The Phantom Leader! That means good luck.”
“I hope so,” Jodie was straining his eyes for a better look. “There! See! He has stopped.”
“Or—or fallen,” Florence was ready to go racing on ahead of the team. Jodie held her back.
“You never can tell,” he counselled.
“There! There! He is gone!” the girl cried a moment later.
“Over a ridge. We’ll see him again,” Tom Kennedy explained.