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Updated: May 20, 2025
That moaning, whispering sound floating up the chasm was not the wind, but the far-away rumble of the third waterfall! Mukoki's voice broke the tense silence from behind. "That the fall!" Wabigoon replied in words scarcely louder than a whisper. There was no joyful shouting now, as there had been at the discovery of the second fall. Even Mukoki's voice was so low that the others could barely hear.
And the cry came again, and yet again, always farther and farther away, now at the foot of the mountain, now upon the plain, now floating away toward the chasm, echoing and reechoing between the mountain ridges, startling the creatures of the night into silence, and wresting deep sobbing breaths from out of Mukoki's soul.
"He will be with them to-night, m'sieu that outlaw!" Not until the crack of Mukoki's long, caribou-gut whip had set the Missioner's eight dogs tense and alert in their traces did Father Roland return for a moment into the cabin to give Marie the locket. He came back quickly, and at a signal from him Mukoki wound up the 9-foot lash of his whip and set out ahead of the dogs.
The sky was clear of clouds and so bright was the light that objects on the farther side of the lake were plainly visible. Besides, it was bitter cold so cold that his face began to tingle as he stood there. These things he noticed, but he could see nothing to hold Mukoki's vision in the sky above unless it was the glorious beauty of the night. "What is it, Mukoki?" he asked.
As they neared the summit of the ridge on which Mukoki's life had been attempted the suspense of the two young hunters became almost painfully acute. Mukoki's actions not only astonished them, but set their blood tingling with his own strange fear.
With eyes and touch that spoke a deep affection he had raised a barrier between them as inviolable as that law of his creed which he had just mentioned. And with it had come a better understanding. David was glad that Mukoki's voice and the commotion of the dogs came to interrupt them. They gathered up hurriedly the few things they had brought into the cabin and carried them to the sledge.
"Bime-by she blow some more!" Rod shoveled the snow into a corner and replaced the barricade while his companions dressed. "This means a week's work digging out traps," declared Wabi. "And only Mukoki's Great Spirit, who sends all blessings to this country, knows when the blizzard is going to stop. It may last a week. There is no chance of finding our waterfall in this."
Swinging his rifle strap over his shoulders he reached out, caught the slender apex of the stub, and before the others could offer a word of encouragement or warning was sliding down the wall of the rock into the chasm. Wabi was close behind him, and not waiting for Mukoki's descent the two boys hurried toward the cabin. Half-way to it Wabi stopped. "This isn't fair. We've got to wait for Muky."
For a few moments the two boys looked at each other in silence, neither attempting to conceal the lack of favor with which Mukoki's suggestion was received. But Wabi was too wise openly to oppose the old pathfinder. If Mukoki said that it was dangerous for them to remain where they were during the night well, it was dangerous, and it would be foolish of him to dispute it.
He exultantly drew Mukoki's attention to this fact, but the latter did not lift his eyes. In a few moments he spoke. "Now we give 'em devil!" Eight pursuers on snow-shoes were in the open of the dip. Six of them had reached the lake. Rod held his fire.
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