_--f TO CARIBOO AND BACK }+—-

Very downhearted over what she had heard
Mary went back to the kitchen and all day
long she turned the matter over in her mind.
Betty finished her beans and went out to play
in the snow, where she rather languidly set
about building a snow man. Single-handed
sport is always dull, but if there were any other
children in the settlement besides herself she
had not yet been able to discover them.

Bye and bye she came in and pored over the
beloved red book written by Ballantyne.

Then came Hunkydory’s squeaky yell, and
Mary ran to answer it.

It seemed almost too good to believe that
the boys had discovered Betty’s father so soon
and in such a wonderful way. But true it was.

That same night they went to his hut, by
the light of a full moon. The hard, quick frost
had made a crust on the snow that held them
up without snow shoes. And although it was an
hour’s walk, even Betty, hardened by mountain
and river trails, thought nothing of that.

She ran ahead when she saw the little
shanty with light streaming through the cracks
around the door—there being no window, and
only a hole in the roof to let the smoke out.

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