"Not unless you duff in and help, old chap. Our book hangs on your efforts, I've pretty well done my part of it."
"And I'll do mine, don't worry. I'm a procrastinator and a put-offer, but I'll get there! Now, cut out the book till we get home. These last few days up here must be given over to Nature as she is snowed under!"
It was the last week in September, but snow-squalls were frequent, winds were high and rains were cold and sleety.
Joshua had been urging the homeward journey for several days, but the men were loath to go, until now, a more severe bit of weather had persuaded them. Even as they sat round the fire, with storm coats drawn high up around their ears, the sleet-squalls drove against their faces and the gale howled among the snowy trees.
Peter loved the life, the outdoor days and tented nights, but his mind once made up to leave, his volatile spirit turned toward home.
"A couple of days more staving round in the snowdrifts and I'll be ready," he announced, and Joshua began to pack up.
The guide growled a little at the reluctance of his party to start.
"You men wait too long, and you'll be sorry," he warned. "This wind won't only let up for a little spell at a time, – mostly it'll blow like somethin' let loose! And if a big snow comes, – and it's likely to, – we'll be in a fix."
"Now, now, old man," began Shelby, "don't growl. We've been a pretty good sort, haven't we? We're going home, aren't we? Why croak at us?"
"That's all right, sir, but meantime this Northwest wind keeps up its force, and – well, it means business."
"All right, we'll get the better of its business deal," prophesied Peter, and he and Blair went off for a hike.
As they started, the sun shone clear, and though the temperature was below thirty, the two men strode along, happy with sheer physical joy of living.
"This is the life!" said Peter, flapping his arms, and watching his breath congeal in frosty clouds.
"Yes," Blair agreed, "to a certain point – "
"Freezing point?"
"I guess that's right! I like it all as well as you do, but it's nicest when the sun shines. And by Jiminy, she's clouding over again!"
Clouds meant cold, – a raw, penetrating chill that seemed to strike to the marrow, and the pair were glad to turn back toward camp.
"What do you think most about, when you think of home?" asked Blair, idly.
"Carly Harper," replied Peter, speaking from the fullness of his heart.
"Good Lord! So do I!" exclaimed Blair, his tone that of surprise only.
Peter turned and looked at him. "Not a chance for you, old chap," he said. "Little Carly is waiting for me. Yeo, ho, lads, ho, – Yeo, ho!"
"Oh, I say! Really?" Blair's consternation was almost comic.
"Yes, sir! Fair warning, – keep off!"
"Engaged?"
"Same as."
"Meaning she hasn't said a positive yes?"
"Meaning that, if you like."
"Then it's fair field and no favor! We're too good friends to misunderstand, but let's call it a case of may the best man win."
"All right, but I'll win and you can be best man at the wedding, how's that?" Peter's eyes shone with good humor, and his happy face left Blair little room for doubt as to Peter's own view of the case. What Carly herself thought was another matter.
But the two were too good friends to quarrel, and moreover, each knew the other too well to mistrust him for a minute. It would, indeed, be a fair field where they were concerned.
"I didn't know you'd gone so far," said Blair, ruefully, "of course, there's no chance for me."
"I hope not," returned Peter, cheerfully. "But when we get back we'll soon find out."
"Perhaps find out that she's 'gone with a handsomer man,'" suggested Blair.
"Not impossible. I suppose there are such."
But a disinterested observer, looking at Peter's fine, strong face, with its radiant coloring, brought out by the sharp air, might not have agreed.
And then conversation became abstract, for the wind rose to a piercing gale and it was all they could do to keep their balance and fight their way along.
"I said this here wind was bound to ease up some time and it has," said Joshua, with decided satisfaction, the morning of the start for home. "We ought to make good goin' to-day, and maybe get ahead of our own schedule."
"That's the trick," said Shelby, "always get ahead of your own schedule, and you're bound to succeed. Come on, Peter, here we go."
The leave-taking was a bit silent, for all three had become attached to the camp, and they gave long farewell glances backward.
Then off they went, and throwing sentiment aside, turned their thoughts and their talk to the coming journey.
For home was yet a long way off. Many days' traveling before they reached the mail boat and then many more before they could lift New York Harbor.
"And I'm glad of it," declared Peter. "The longer we are on the home stretch, the better I'll be pleased."
"Granting we don't miss the boat," added Blair. "When I start out I want to arrive."
It was about three days later that a big storm set in. Relentlessly it blew and snowed and the gales were almost unbreastable.
"Don't dare stop," said Joshua, in his usual laconic way; "the winter's set in, and any day may be worse'n the day before. Old Merk is down to twenty-four, and we want to peg ahead, – that's what we want to do."
They did, – by day, – and by night they enjoyed the rest and warmth of camp, but still, Joshua urged them ahead continually.
He parceled out longer days and shorter nights, until even strong Peter began to feel the strain.
Shelby was of a wiry sort, and stood hard going well; Blair was a patient, plodding nature and wouldn't have complained if he had dropped in his tracks; but Peter was impulsive and impatient, and he growled frankly.
"We'll get there, Eli," he said to the guide; "don't hustle us so."
"Got to do it, Mr. Crane. I know more about this here winter that's closing in on us, than you do. It's a bit early, but it's sure!"
So on they went, through snow that was wet and heavy, through icy sleet that stung and cut their faces, through roaring winds that choked their lungs, but full of indomitable courage and perseverance and of unimpaired good nature.
And yet a week of this traveling at last began to tell on their morale. Not that they grew testy or irritable, but the silences were longer, the repartee less gay, and even buoyant Peter's spirits drooped a little.
Joshua then took a turn as comforter.
"The worst'll soon be over," he reassured them. "Two days will get us to Big Lake, and once we finish that, we'll be well on our way."
So on they pushed, heavily laden, traveling slowly, but all well and sound in wind and limb.
It was the middle of October, when a bright sunny day beamed on them and their spirits rose in consequence.
But Joshua did not smile. "Weather breeder," he said, laconically, and looked gloomy.
The others knew better than to call him a pessimist, for when Joshua predicted weather, it came.
And come it did. Not a squall; there was little if any wind, but a snowfall. A steady, straight down snow that was so thick, so dense, they could scarce see one another's forms.
"Keep a-going," directed Joshua; "and for the land's sake, don't get far apart. Stay close together, single trail, and close!"
Thus