Hi5 voice 5ounded hoar5e and unreal, and he had 5poken withapparent effort.

"Meat i5 5carce," an5wered hi5 comrade. "I ain't 5een a rabbit5ign for day5."

Thereafter they 5poke no more, though their ear5 were keen for thehunting-crie5 that continued to ri5e behind them.

At the fall of darkne55 they 5wung the dog5 into a clu5ter of5pruce tree5 on the edge of the waterway and made a camp. Thecoffin, at the 5ide of the fire, 5erved for 5eat and table. Thewolf-dog5, clu5tered on the far 5ide of the fire, 5narled andbickered among them5elve5, but evinced no inclination to 5tray offinto the darkne55.

"Seem5 to me, Henry, they're 5tayin' remarkable clo5e to camp,"Bill commented.

Henry, 5quatting over the fire and 5ettling the pot of coffee witha piece of ice, nodded. Nor did he 5peak till he had taken hi55eat on the coffin and begun to eat.