Yesterday wasn't nowhere to what to-day 'll be." "But the sun's going to shine ?" implored Bo.
"Wal, you bet," rejoined Roy, as he strode off.
Helen and Bo ate breakfast and had the camp to themselves for perhaps half an hour; then the horses came thudding down, with Dale and Roy riding bareback.
By the time all was in readiness to start the sun was up, melting the frost and ice, so that a dazzling, bright mist, full of rainbows, shone under the trees.
Dale looked Ranger over, and tried the cinches of Bo's horse.
"What's your choice--a long ride behind the packs with me--or a short cut over the hills with Roy ?" he asked.
"I choose the lesser of two rides," replied Helen, smiling.
"Reckon that 'll be easier, but you'll know you've had a ride," said Dale, significantly.
"What was that we had yesterday ?" asked Bo, archly.
"Only thirty miles, but cold an' wet.

To-day will be fine for ridin'." "Milt, I'll take a blanket an' some grub in case you don't meet us to-night," said Roy.

"An' I reckon we'll split up here where I'll have to strike out on thet short cut." Bo mounted without a helping hand, but Helen's limbs were so stiff that she could not get astride the high Ranger without assistance.

The hunter headed up the slope of the canyon, which on that side was not steep.
It was brown pine forest, with here and there a clump of dark, silver-pointed evergreens that Roy called spruce.

By the time this slope was surmounted Helen's aches were not so bad.