154 ON THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS 
make headway against the wind. He rose high, 
and looked about, over a world in which half the 
landmarks were obliterated. Some way off, be- 
tween the almost buried lines of stone walls which 
bounded the road, he saw a wood sled jogging 
along, falling into a walk now and then as the 
horses tugged it over a packed drift. On this 
sled were a man and several bags. Jim almost 
blew down toward it, like a bit of black paper on 
the gale, and his keen eyes now detected some- 
thing dropping behind. Down lower he dropped, 
and with a caw of joy fell upon the grains of 
“ mixed feed ” which were oozing out from a bag 
on the back of the sledge, unknown to the driver. 
Every time the sledge had tipped backward as the 
horses pulled it up on to a packed drift, a little 
stream of cracked corn and other delicacies had 
poured out and still lay on the hard snow. Jim 
fell upon the first he spotted, and ate ravenously. 
He began to warm up. His blood flowed 
again. His wings felt stronger. As soon as his 
hunger was satisfied, he rose into the air, and be- 
gan to circle, cawing loudly against the chill, 
lemon-gold sunset. He was calling to his three 
