--¢ TO CARIBOO AND BACK }¥--

for the ground was uneven, full of dangerous
holes and tangling tufts of grass.

First of all Jim took a careful survey of
his surroundings. Behind him were the woods
that gradually dwindled to a narrow tail of
green following the meanderings of the creek.
On all sides lay the monotonous swell of the
prairie, except where the distant ridge of hills
made a waving line across the sky. How far,
he asked himself, had he circled the trees on
the previous evening? Would he know the spot
again where he had first taken a left turn, a
turn towards the west?

He allowed the pony to amble slowly while
- he anxiously looked for landmarks but found
none. Somewhere across those flower sprinkled
plains was the track the caravan had passed
over the day before; but what direction to take,
at what angle to leave the growth of woods
behind him, was the question that puzzled him.
For in his haste the night before he had neg-
lected to leave any traces behind to guide him,
or even to make a close observation of the land,
-never thinking so many hours would elapse
before he passed that way again.

Many attempts did Jim make to find his way

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