Followers of the Trail | Page 4

his master.
"No, no, Pal, I don't want to take a walk to-day. Come in and get warm,
you rascal, and give an account of yourself," the Hermit called, still
holding the door open though the air was chilling.
The dog wagged his tail, but made no move toward the house. Instead,
he whined, trotted a few steps farther and looked eagerly back into his
master's face. It was clear to the Hermit that Pal wished him to follow,
but for a moment he hesitated, contrasting the warmth within the cabin
with the bitter cold and loneliness of the forest. Then he looked again at
the dog, who had not taken his pleading eyes from his master's face.
"All right, Pal, just come in until I bundle up. This cold would freeze a
man in no time if he were not well protected."
The Hermit turned back into the cabin and the dog, apparently
understanding, no longer hung back. His adored master had not failed
him. A few minutes later both issued from the house with the dog in the
lead, soon disappearing from sight in the shadows of the forest.
In the morning of that same day Dave Lansing, a young hunter and
trapper, had left his rude cabin some miles to the north of the Hermit's
clearing to visit his trap line. Ill luck seemed to be with him. In the first
place he had been delayed long after his accustomed time for starting.
Then, one after another, he had found his traps rifled, until he had
turned away from the last one angry and disgusted. Still a perverse fate
seemed to be following him. Several miles from his cabin, he stumbled
upon something buried in the snow; there was a sharp click, and with a

sudden grunt of pain he sank to the ground, his axe flying from his
hand and skimming for some distance over the smooth snow crust.
Dave sat up, dazed. The pain which he suffered, however, soon cleared
his brain and he found that he was caught in the steel jaws of a trap.
The trap was not of his own setting, but this made him no less a captive.
He tried to press open the jaws but they held stubbornly. Then he
remembered his axe. Crawling as far as the trap would permit, he
stretched himself at full length upon the snow and reached desperately.
The instrument which would have been his salvation was six inches out
of reach. Moreover, the strain upon his foot was so unbearable that he
was obliged to draw back in order to ease it.
Now, as the full significance of his plight dawned upon him, even
Dave's stout heart quailed. He was helpless to free himself without the
axe, and so far as he knew there was no human being within ten miles
of the spot. Moreover the intense cold was beginning to penetrate his
warm clothing. He no longer felt the pain of his imprisoned foot.
Circulation had slowed down and numbness was fast creeping up his
limb. He swung his arms and beat his hands upon his breast, but in
spite of all he could do the chill penetrated more deeply into his bones.
He realized that if he were not rescued within a few hours he would
freeze to death, for no one could long remain inactive in that biting cold.
Dave smiled somewhat grimly as he reflected that he was now in the
predicament of the helpless creatures which every day perished in his
traps.
Suddenly his unpleasant thoughts were interrupted by a scratching in
the snow behind him, and turning quickly he saw a small black and
white dog regarding him in a friendly manner. Dave's heart leaped.
Surely, where there was a dog there must be a man. He held out his
hand to the dog while he shouted again and again with all his might,
waiting breathlessly each time for the answer which did not come.
At length he gave up the attempt and turned his attention to his small
companion. It was evident that the dog was alone, but perhaps if he
could be made to understand, he might bring help. With this thought
new hope returned. Pointing in the direction from which the dog had

appeared and looking intently into the great brown eyes, Dave
commanded, "Go, sir! Go get your master."
Several times the words were repeated while Pal stood undecided. Then
suddenly he seemed to understand and with a joyous bark trotted
swiftly away and soon disappeared down a white corridor of the woods.
It was not until he had gone that Dave remembered the axe which the
dog might have brought to him had he not, in his eagerness, forgotten it.
He groaned and buried his