@ (mountain {pow^ 



The two or three other masses were more 

 formidable than the first one. The logs were so 

 large that a day or more of burning and heavy 

 lifting would be required to break through them. 

 More than two days and nights of hard work 

 had been passed without food, and I must hold 

 out until a way could be fought through these 

 other heavy timber-heaps. Cricket, apparently 

 not caring to be left behind again, came close to 

 me and eagerly watched my every move. To 

 hasten the fire, armfuls of small limbs were 

 gathered for it. As limbs were plentiful on the 

 other side of the gorge, I went across on a large 

 fallen log for a supply, shuffling the snow off 

 with my feet as I crossed. To my astonishment 

 Cricket came trotting across the slippery log 

 after me! She had been raised with fallen tim- 

 ber and had walked logs before. As she cleared 

 the edge, I threw my arms around her neck and 

 leaped upon her back. Without saddle, bridle, or 

 guiding, she took me merrily down the mountain- 

 side into the wagon-road beyond the snow-slide 

 blockade. At midnight we were in Telluride. 



