TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 123 



watched their holt for an hour or more with no sort 

 of success. 



We slept cosily until the dawn, to waken to hear 

 the wild god Boreas rushing down from the mountain 

 tops to beat with tempestuous purple wings against 

 the walls of spring. 



"Tarry yet awhile!" whistled the keen breath of 

 the snow-sheeted mountains. "Tarry yet awhile!" 



And as if in mockery the proud and laughing 

 chuckle of the cock ptarmigan echoed across the 

 river. 



Then followed a couple of days of icy blasts, driving 

 rains and hail. Our tents could scarce stand up 

 against the war of Nature's forces. Fireless we lived 

 in philosophical discomfort. I think we made more 

 of our uncomfortable situation than needs be, because, 

 all the time, the proximity of the Lily, and the recol- 

 lection of her comforts, made odious comparisons to 

 our minds. 



Another day of villainous weather finished us off, 

 but as the Leader and Ralph had taken the flotilla 

 along with them, we could do nothing but wait until 

 they called for us on the way coastwards. We began 

 to formulate impossible schemes for a trek, and just 

 then, fortunately, the dory came swirling by and 

 drove right into a bank below us, she had so much 

 way orn We soon got our trophy and the tents 

 aboard, and with the Leader for pilot I set out 

 in a bidarka, Cecily, Ralph and Ned annexing the 

 other. 



We had a lively time on our lightning voyage, for 



