Beyond all question this would have been the result had not nature come to his help. He was on the point of turning his pony's head around, to re-enter the timber he had left, when he discovered to his astonishment that he had already reached it. There were the trees directly in front, with the nose of Dick almost touching a projecting limb. He was at a loss to understand it until his wife suggested that the winding course of the stream was responsible for the situation. Even then he hardly believed until investigation convinced him that it was the same swift current flowing in front. "We unconsciously strayed from a direct course, and must have been going at right angles to the correct one." "There is no saying, George; only I advise you not to make too many experiments in the darkness. Several hours have passed since night came, and we are not making much progress toward the fort." "You are quite right," was the nervous response, "but safety seemed to demand it. How are you standing it, Dot?" The child made no answer. "She is asleep," whispered the mother. "I hope that it may last until morning. If you are tired of holding her in your arms I will take her." "When I grow weary of that," was the significant reply of the wife, "I will let you know." Inasmuch as the continually obtruding stream must be crossed, and the precious hours were fast passing, the rancher gave every energy to surmounting the difficulty. As he led the way once more to the edge of the water, he asked himself whether the wisest course was not to construct a raft. The work promised to be so difficult, however, that he would have abandoned the thought had he not come upon a heavy log, lying half submerged at the very spot where he struck the water. "This will be of great help," he said to his wife. Leaning his Winchester against the nearest tree, he drew out his rubber safe and struck a match. The appearance of the log was encouraging, and after some lifting and tugging he succeeded in rolling it into the stream. That ended the matter. To his chagrin, the water-soaked wood sank like so much mud. "We won't experiment any longer," concluded the disappointed rancher; "but try the same thing as before." Dick was stripped again and put in the lead, with his master following on the back of the mare. Mrs. Starr, being helped to the ground, stood with the sleeping Dot in her arms, awaiting the return of her husband from his disagreeable experiment. "Heaven grant that this maybe the right place," was his prayer, as he entered upon the second essay; "if we are turned back again I shall be in despair." His interest was intensified, for he was impressed with the belief that this was to be the decisive and final test.