204 Maxey 



of meal was set aside for Maxey, but was not fed 

 to him until the cabin table was laid. Then they 

 all dined together Maxey from a pail at the side 

 of the room, and the two bearded men from oppo- 

 site sides of the table. Their hunger was never sat- 

 isfied, but they were cheerful and content. 



After the snow stopped falling, Mountain Jim 

 tried to break a path. It was a hard and almost 

 hopeless undertaking. Meanwhile, Herbert gathered 

 some spruce boughs for Maxey, but, hungry as the 

 animal then was, it seemed almost impossible for him 

 to live upon them. Then Herbert dug around in 

 the snow in search of dry bunch-grass ; but the 

 rocky surface yielded very little, and sometimes only 

 a handful would reward a hard day's search. The 

 days passed on, an occasional rift of sunshine melt- 

 ing the snow in places, but not enough to allow 

 travelling. They found that by the most careful 

 economy their provisions would last only a week 

 longer ; and they determined to make a bold strike 

 for the settlements. 



The sufferings of that trip were almost too dread- 

 ful for description. Manly fortitude sustained the 



