With the coming of another day the journey was resumed. Even the weather seemed to have undergone a fit of repentance, for the skies were now as clear as crystal, and the rainy spell had evidently passed.
Early in the morning several of the men hastened to the place where the boys had been deceived by the decoy deer. They brought back the game, since none of the thoroughly alarmed Flat Heads had dared return for the carcass.
It was easily seen just how cleverly the animal’s head had been fixed by means of stout sticks and deerskin thongs. The men also judged that it had been made to stand erect by the aid of other sticks skillfully concealed. On the whole, the boys concluded they had a story to relate that would arouse the greatest interest among the home folks, if ever they were fortunate enough to rejoin the family circle again.
Roger was glad that the remainder of the journey was to be made in the canoes, for his ankle pained him exceedingly, and he would have been unable to walk any distance without feeling much distress.
“You will have to take things easy for a while, after we get to our journey’s end,” Dick told him. “A sprained ankle is a bad job, and you may feel it for many weeks. I can look back and remember how long it took me to get over a wrenched ankle some years ago.”
At that Roger laughed aloud.
“I haven’t forgotten that time, either, let me tell you, Dick. We were off on a hunt when you tripped. How your ankle did swell up; it frightened me, I tell you! But that cold spring water helped a lot to take the swelling down.”
“Yes, and I can see you now, staggering along with me on your back,” continued Dick, bending a look of sincere affection upon his cousin. “That was the heaviest load you ever undertook to tote, I wager.”
“But I got there, didn’t I?” demanded the other, proudly, “winded though I was. And I made you a pretty fine crutch which you hobbled around on for weeks, not being able to put your foot on the ground.”
Many times, as they talked, did these fond memories of the past arise to haunt them. The further they went from their well-loved homes the sharper the pictures seemed to become in their minds. Their dreams were mostly of those dear ones whose faces were forever before them, in the clear waters, while threading the mazes of the forest, or even looking out upon the glittering sands of the burning desert.