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inn before making another venture on our journey。
The next morning it was still snowing furiously when we got away with our
new stock of saddles and accoutrements。 We mounted and started。 The
snow lay so deep on the ground that there was no sign of a road
perceptible； and the snow…fall was so thick that we could not see more
than a hundred yards ahead； else we could have guided our course by the
mountain ranges。 The case looked dubious； but Ollendorff said his
instinct was as sensitive as any compass； and that he could 〃strike a
bee…line〃 for Carson city and never diverge from it。 He said that if he
were to straggle a single point out of the true line his instinct would
assail him like an outraged conscience。 Consequently we dropped into his
wake happy and content。 For half an hour we poked along warily enough；
but at the end of that time we came upon a fresh trail； and Ollendorff
shouted proudly：
〃I knew I was as dead certain as a compass； boys！ Here we are； right in
somebody's tracks that will hunt the way for us without any trouble。
Let's hurry up and join company with the party。〃
So we put the horses into as much of a trot as the deep snow would allow；
and before long it was evident that we were gaining on our predecessors；
for the tracks grew more distinct。 We hurried along； and at the end of
an hour the tracks looked still newer and fresherbut what surprised us
was； that the number of travelers in advance of us seemed to steadily
increase。 We wondered how so large a party came to be traveling at such
a time and in such a solitude。 Somebody suggested that it must be a
company of soldiers from the fort； and so we accepted that solution and
jogged along a little faster still； for they could not be far off now。
But the tracks still multiplied； and we began to think the platoon of
soldiers was miraculously expanding into a regimentBallou said they had
already increased to five hundred！ Presently he stopped his horse and
said：
〃Boys； these are our own tracks； and we've actually been circussing round
and round in a circle for more than two hours； out here in this blind
desert！ By George this is perfectly hydraulic！〃
Then the old man waxed wroth and abusive。 He called Ollendorff all
manner of hard namessaid he never saw such a lurid fool as he was； and
ended with the peculiarly venomous opinion that he 〃did not know as much
as a logarythm！〃
We certainly had been following our own tracks。 Ollendorff and his
〃mental compass〃 were in disgrace from that moment。
After all our hard travel； here we were on the bank of the stream again；
with the inn beyond dimly outlined through the driving snow…fall。 While
we were considering what to do； the young Swede landed from the canoe and
took his pedestrian way Carson…wards； singing his same tiresome song
about his 〃sister and his brother〃 and 〃the child in the grave with its
mother；〃 and in a short minute faded and disappeared in the white
oblivion。 He was never heard of again。 He no doubt got bewildered and
lost； and Fatigue delivered him over to Sleep and Sleep betrayed him to
Death。 Possibly he followed our treacherous tracks till he became
exhausted and dropped。
Presently the Overland stage forded the now fast receding stream and
started toward Carson on its first trip since the flood came。 We
hesitated no longer； now； but took up our march in its wake； and trotted
merrily along； for we had good confidence in the driver's bump of
locality。 But our horses were no match for the fresh stage team。 We
were soon left out of sight； but it was no matter； for we had the deep
ruts the wheels made for a guide。 By this time it was three in the
afternoon； and consequently it was not very long before night cameand
not with a lingering twilight； but with a sudden shutting down like a
cellar door； as is its habit in that country。 The snowfall was still as
thick as ever； and of course we could not see fifteen steps before us；
but all about us the white glare of the snow…bed enabled us to discern
the smooth sugar…loaf mounds made by the covered sage…bushes； and just in
front of us the two faint grooves which we knew were the steadily filling
and slowly disappearing wheel…tracks。
Now those sage…bushes were all about the same heightthree or four feet；
they stood just about seven feet apart； all over the vast desert； each of
them was a mere snow…mound； now； in any direction that you proceeded （the
same as in a well laid out orchard） you would find yourself moving down a
distinctly defined avenue； with a row of these snow…mounds an either side
of itan avenue the customary width of a road； nice and level in its
breadth； and rising at the sides in the most natural way； by reason of
the mounds。 But we had not thought of this。 Then imagine the chilly
thrill that shot through us when it finally occurred to us； far in the
night； that since the last faint trace of the wheel…tracks had long ago
been buried from sight； we might now be wandering down a mere sage…brush
avenue； miles away from the road and diverging further and further away
from it all the time。 Having a cake of ice slipped down one's back is
placid comfort compared to it。 There was a sudden leap and stir of blood
that had been asleep for an hour； and as sudden a rousing of all the
drowsing activities in our minds and bodies。 We were alive and awake at
onceand shaking and quaking with consternation； too。 There was an
instant halting and dismounting； a bending low and an anxious scanning of
the road…bed。 Useless； of course； for if a faint depression could not be
discerned from an altitude of four or five feet above it； it certainly
could not with one's nose nearly against it。
CHAPTER XXXII。
We seemed to be in a road； but that was no proof。 We tested this by
walking off in various directionsthe regular snow…mounds and the
regular avenues between them convinced each man that he had found the
true road； and that the others had found only false ones。 Plainly the
situation was desperate。 We were cold and stiff and the horses were
tired。 We decided to build a sage…brush fire and camp out till morning。
This was wise； because if we were wandering from the right road and the
snow…storm continued another day our case would be the next thing to
hopeless if we kept on。
All agreed that a camp fire was what would come nearest to saving us；
now； and so we set about building it。 We could find no matches； and so
we tried to make shift with the pistols。 Not a man in the party had ever
tried to do such a thing before； but not a man in the party doubted that
it could be done； and without any troublebecause every man in the party
had read about it in books many a time and had naturally come to believe
it； with trusting simplicity； just as he had long ago accepted and
believed that other common book…fraud about Indians and lost hunters
making a fire by rubbing two dry sticks together。
We huddled together on our knees in the deep snow； and the horses put
their noses together and bowed their patient heads over us； and while the
feathery flakes eddied down and turned us into a group of white statuary；
we proceeded with the momentous experiment。 We broke twigs from a sage
bush and piled them on a little cleared place in the shelter of our
bodies。 In the course of ten or fifteen minutes all was ready； and then；
while conversation ceased and our pulses beat low with anxious suspense；
Ollendorff applied his revolver； pulled the trigger and blew the pile
clear out of the county！ It was the flattest failure that ever was。
This was distressing； but it paled before a greater horrorthe horses
were gone！ I had been appointed to hold the bridles； but in my absorbing
anxiety over the pistol experiment I had unconsciously dropped them and
the released animals had walked off in the storm。 It was useless to try
to follow them； for their footfalls could make no sound； and one could
pass within two yards of the creatures and never see them。 We gave them
up without an effort at recovering them； and cursed the lying books that
said horses would stay by their masters for protection and companionship
in a distressful time like ours。
We were miserable enough； before； we felt still more forlorn； now。
Patiently； but with blighted hope； we broke more sticks and piled them；
and once more the Prussian shot them into annihilation。 Plainly； to
light a fire with a pistol was an art requiring practice and experience；
and the middle of a desert at midnight in a snow…storm was not a good
place or time for the acquiring of the accomplishment。 We gave it up and
tried the other。 Each man took a couple of sticks and fell to chafing
them together。 At the end of half an hour we were thoroughly chilled；
and so were the sticks。 We bitterly execrated the Indians； the hunters
and the books that had betrayed us with the silly device； and wondered
dismally what was next to be done。 At this critical moment Mr。 Ballou
fished out four matches from the rubbish of an overlooked pocket。 To
have found four gold bars would have seemed poor and cheap good luck
compared to this。
One cannot think how good a match looks under such