They scattered far and wide over the country, and it was not till a week later that the last of the survivors gathered together in a lower valley and counted their losses.

As for Buck, wearying of the pursuit, he returned to the desolated camp.

He found Pete where he had been killed in his blankets in the first moment of surprise.

Thornton's desperate struggle was fresh-written on the earth, and Buck scented every detail of it down to the edge of a deep pool.

By the edge, head and fore feet in the water, lay Skeet, faithful to the last.