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 spend the night here, either. We'll have to backtrack and find some way out."

"The doctor an' Brown must ha' got out somewheres," Freegift argued. "They never passed here. Let's search whilst there's light. If we can fetch out we may yet sight 'em, or the cap'n. An' failin' better, we can camp again an' bile that deer-hide for a tide-me-over. Some sort o' chawin' we need bad."

"Biled deer-hide for supper, then," Terry answered. "It'll do to fool our stomicks with. But first we got to get out if we can."

They turned back, in the gloomy canyon whose walls seemed to be at least half a mile high, to seek a side passage up and out. Freegift was ahead. There were places where the walls had been sundered by gigantic cracks, piled with granite fragments. Freegift had crossed the river, on boulders and ice patches, to explore a crack opposite—and suddenly a shout hailed him.

"Whoo-ee! Hello!"

He gazed quickly amidst his clambering; waved his arm and shouted reply, and hastened over.

"Somebody!" Terry exclaimed. He and Stub ran forward, stumbling. They rounded a shoulder, and joining Freegift saw the lieutenant. In the gloom they knew him by his red cap if by nothing else. He was alone, carrying his gun.