156 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" What is a fire-letter ? " asked Rap. 



" The letter whose words come as lightning sparks," 

 said Olaf, who, in trying to puzzle the boys, fell into 

 the picture language so common in the north countries. 



" Oh, a telegram, of course ! " cried llap. 



" But the Fox," persisted Nat. " I don't understand 

 about hinr." 



" Hush, do not speak loud or he may hear you, for 

 it was a very shy Fox that brought me the news, — a 

 Dream Fox ! " 



" Oh, how you fooled us ! " shouted Nat. 



" No, I don't call it fooling," said Rap, quite 

 seriously ; " a Dream Fox may be cousin of a Night- 

 mare ! " 



So they started on their sleigh-ride in a very jolly 

 mood, and in a few minutes left behind the dozen 

 houses and store that was called Chestnut Ridge, as 

 they cut down into one of the narrow valley roads 

 that finally zig-zagged up toward Nez' camp. 



" It takes more to make a mountain out in the far 

 west country than it does here, doesn't it, daddy?" 

 asked Nat. 



" Yes, I rather think it does ; but there is more 

 comfort and beauty to the square inch in one of our 

 mountains, even if they do seem only molehills com- 

 pared to the Rockies." 



"I see more Rabbit trades," said ]?ap, "and dog 

 tracks, too, — dogs that have been chasing them, — 

 over by those rocks ! " 



" Not dog, but Fox tracks," said Olaf, " though the 

 print itself might be of a dog." 



" Then how do you know it isn't ?" 



