346 THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
the Ungaliks and grizzlies. Mayhap I'll git a shot yet at 
the big hairy elephant, and be famous ! " he added, with 
a poor attempt at a laugh. 
Flossie's eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing 
her faithful companion and protector, but she made no 
further protest. 
Carlo looked up with his grave brown eyes, as if he 
had understood all that had been said, and, rising gravely, 
walked over to the hunter, and laid his head upon his 
knee. The rest went to their tents, one by one, but Solo- 
mon never moved. The dog lay down at his feet and 
slept ; and all night the grave, quiet man sat there, his 
head leaning on his hand, now closing his eyes with a 
quick contraction of the forehead as if with a sudden 
pain ; now glancing toward the white tent where the girl 
was resting ; now gazing into the glowing coals of the 
camp-fire, and reading there, perhaps, the bright story of 
— what might have been. 
So the short hours of the Alaskan night passed away. 
The light spread in the eastern sky ; the song-sparrow and 
white-throat raised their contented chants from the val- 
ley, and a flock of snow-birds, in pretty array of gray and 
white, fluttered through the spruce boughs over the head 
of the silent man. 
At last he rose stiffly, drew his hand once or twice 
across his eyes, threw his rifle over his shoulder, whistled 
to Carlo, and started off into the forest. 
" I guess we'll go an' pick 'em up a leetle suthin' fer 
