cowardice. You have made a mistake : repair it 

 while you may. I have seen and know : there is 

 nothing here. Come back with me, and all will be made 

 easy." And answer, in reason, there was none ; for 

 the little truth was all too plain, and the greater not 

 yet seen. But that which had swelled to bursting and 

 had fought within for freedom called out : " Failure is 

 the worst of all ! " And the blind and struggling 

 instinct rose against all knowledge and all reason. 

 " Not back to the cage ! Not that ! " 



And the heart that had once been young spoke up 

 for Auld Lang Syne : the old eyes softened and 

 dropped : " God speed you, Boy Good-bye ! " And 

 as the mail-coach rumbled off the Boy put up his head 

 to try again. 



The days passed, and still there was no work to do. 

 For, those who were there already hardened men 

 and strong, pioneers who had roughed it were 

 themselves in straitened case, and it was no place for 

 boys. 



So the Boy moved on again, and with him a man in 

 equal plight, but, being a man, a guide and comfort 

 to the Boy, and one to lead him on the way. Hungry, 

 they walked all day ; yet when the sun went down 

 and light began to fail the place where work and food 

 and sleep should be was still far off. The mountain 

 tracks were rough and all unknown ; the rivers many, 

 cold and swift : the country wild ; none lived, few 

 ever passed, that way. When night closed in the Boy 

 walked on in front, and the man lagged wearily, 



5 



